A Knight's Tale
| A Knight's Tale | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Brian Helgeland |
| Written by | Brian Helgeland |
| Based on | "The Knight's Tale" by Geoffrey Chaucer |
| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Richard Greatrex |
| Edited by | Kevin Stitt |
| Music by | Carter Burwell |
Production companies | |
| Distributed by | Sony Pictures Releasing |
Release date |
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Running time | 132 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $65 million |
| Box office | $117.5 million |
A Knight's Tale is a 2001 American medieval action comedy film written, co-produced and directed by Brian Helgeland. The film stars Heath Ledger as William Thatcher, a peasant squire who poses as a knight and competes in tournaments, winning accolades and acquiring friendships with such historical figures as Edward the Black Prince (James Purefoy) and Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany). Its 14th-century story is intentionally anachronistic, with many modern pop culture references and a soundtrack featuring 1970s music. The film takes its name from Chaucer's story "The Knight's Tale", part of The Canterbury Tales, and also draws several plot points from Chaucer's work.
A Knight's Tale was released by Columbia Pictures in the United States on May 11, 2001. It received mixed reviews from critics and grossed $117.5 million against a budget of $65 million.