The Lost King

The Lost King tells the remarkable true story of how one ‘ordinary’ woman discovered the long-lost remains of King Richard III.

Director: Stephen Frears

Writers: Steve Coogan, Christine Langan, Dan Winch

Executive Producers: Cameron McCracken, Jenny Borgars, Rose Garnett, Andrea Scarso, Jeff Pope, Philippa Langley

Co-producer: Wendy Griffin

Cast: Sally Hawkins, Steve Coogan, Harry Lloyd

Sales: Pathé


Synopsis

In 2012, having been lost for over 500 years, the remains of King Richard III were discovered beneath a carpark in Leicester.  The search had been orchestrated by an amateur historian, Philippa Langley, whose unrelenting research had been met with incomprehension by her friends and family and with scepticism by experts and academics.

The Lost King is the life-affirming true story of a woman who refused to be ignored and who took on the country's most eminent historians, forcing them to think again about one of the most controversial kings in England's history.

Woman sitting on park bench with Edinburgh Castle in the background.Still of Sally Hawkins in The Lost King, courtesy of Pathé

More information

Screen Scotland support: Screen Scotland supported a shadowing scheme that took place during the filming of The Lost King in Edinburgh in April 2021. The initiative, from TLK Productions in collaboration with Screen Education Edinburgh, gave 15 trainees experience working on a professional film set. Read more about the trainees’ experience working on the film set.

Release: The Lost King will be released in the UK on Friday 7 October 2022. The theatrical release of The Lost King coincides with the 10th Anniversary of the discovery of the remains of Richard III, the last English king to die in battle.

World Premiere: Toronto Film Festival 2022

Header image: First-look still of The Lost King, courtesy of Pathé