‘King Arthur’ channels ‘LOTR’ in new movie trailer

What do Robin Hood and King Arthur have in common? They’re legendary heroes who’ve both been the topic of countless movies since the invention of cinema. And because Hollywood is all out of ideas, it’s seen fit to churn out even more movies about said heroes!

So yes, there’s an upcoming movie about King Arthur, entitled “King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.” Before you groan in dismay, however, take a gander at the trailer, which was released just recently.

Holy overblown CGI budget, Batman! That trailer’s epic AF. And by “AF” we mean “and fine.”

The film is described as “an iconoclastic take on the classic Excalibur myth, tracing Arthur’s journey from the streets to the throne.”

The movie’s official plot description reads:

“When the child Arthur’s father is murdered, Vortigern (Jude Law), Arthur’s uncle, seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy… whether he likes it or not.”

While the King Arthur legend has always been infused with a fine layer of magic, past movies relegated its mysticism to the background, thanks in part to the limits of special effects technology.

Thanks to the recent advances in CGI, however, magic seems to be at the very forefront in “Legend of the Sword,” and the mind-blowingly cool special effects more than prove it. In terms of fantastic visuals, this seems to rank up there with Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” movies.

And kudos to whoever made the trailer for using a rockin’ Led Zeppelin track, instead of employing the tired technique of slowing down an upbeat song and hiring some depressed individual to sing it.

Playing Arthur is the English actor Charlie Hunnam, known for his roles as Jackson “Jax” Teller in the badass biker drama “Sons of Anarchy,” and Raleigh Becket in 2013’s giant robot film, “Pacific Rim.”

Eric Bana (“Hulk,” “Star Trek”), whose greying hair means he’ll be playing dad roles from now on, assumes the role of Arthur’s father Uther Pendragon in the movie.

The cast also includes Djimon Hounsou (“Gladiator,” “Guardians of the Galaxy”), Astrid Berges-Frisbey (the mermaid in “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides”), and Aidan Gillen (that annoying Littlefinger in “Game of Thrones”).

Serving as director is Guy Ritchie, whose notable works include “Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels,” “Snatch,” “Sherlock Holmes,”  and “The Man from U.N.C.L.E.” He will be directing Disney’s live-action adaptation of “Aladdin.”

“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” hits theaters on May 12, 2017. — BM, GMA News