The Kid Who Would Be King is a 2019 urban fantasy action-adventure film directed and written by Joe Cornish. The story follows Alex, a typical 12-year-old boy in a London suburb, who discovers the legendary sword Excalibur embedded in concrete at a construction site. With the sword in hand, Alex and his friends (including former bullies) must band together, under the guidance of the wizard Merlin, to stop the ancient enchantress Morgana from enslaving the world. The film blends classic Arthurian legend with a modern setting and features themes of courage, friendship, and leadership. The film stars Louis Ashbourne Serkis as Alex, along with Tom Taylor, Dean Chaumoo, Rebecca Ferguson as Morgana, and Patrick Stewart as Merlin. Although the movie received positive reviews for its family-friendly fantasy adventure vibe, it did not perform well financially, with significant losses estimated for the studio. It was among the last films released by 20th Century Fox before its acquisition by Disney. The film has a runtime of about 120 minutes and has been noted to appeal to fans of stories that mix fantasy with contemporary life.
