Aidan Gillen (Littlefinger) compares Game of Thrones to his new King Arthur movie
By Dan Selcke
Guy Ritchie’s King Arthur: Legend of the Sword comes out this weekend, and the reviews are…not good. Critics seem to think it’s an all-flash-and-no-substance kind of flick. That’s not great news for actor Aidan Gillen, who plays good guy archer Goosefat Bill Wilson in the movie. But if Legend of the Sword flops, Gillen can always fall back on Littlefinger, who will appear in the upcoming penultimate series of Game of Thrones.
It’s easy to draw comparisons between Game of Thrones and Legend of the Sword, even if they’re superficial. After all, both stories take place in medieval times (or fictional worlds based on medieval times, whatever). Gillen touched on those comparisons at the film’s European premiere. “It’s not the same, though there are similarities in those medieval-style fantasies,” he said.
"Game Of Thrones is not this world, but it is part of that fantasy genre – and this film is quite heavy on the sorcery and mysticism, so it is a world I am familiar with."
King Arthur reportedly has witches summoning dark forces, lake goddesses, and a version of Excalibur that sends out waves of special effects whenever Arthur swings it. Sorcery and mysticism indeed.
It sounds like the two works have fairly different tones, which Gillen acknowledges. “[I]t doesn’t feel like the same job,” he said, “so it does feel like I am getting a break.”
You can see King Arthur: Legend of the Sword in theaters starting this weekend. (Incidentally, it also stars Game of Thrones vet Michael “Roose Bolton” McElhatton.) For more Game of Thrones, you’ll have to wait until July 16.