The Green Knight writer/director David Lowery drew influence from a variety of older movies for his fantasy adventure, including previous Arthurian retellings like 1974's Lancelot du Lac and, yes, 1975's Monty Python and the Holy Grail. However, one of the biggest inspirations for the film was Ron Howard's 1988 movie Willow.

Lowery told Vanity Fair he used practical effects and even matte paintings as often as possible, in order to give The Green Knight a throwback vibe. “The aesthetics of those ’80s and ’90s films, they didn’t have the tricks up their sleeves that someone like Peter Jackson or even we had. There’s a tactile quality that helped stick them in my head. I love Willow because I was seven years old when I saw it, but also [because of] its craftsmanship.”

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Directed by Howard from a story by George Lucas, who also served as an executive producer, Willow stars Warwick Davis as Willow Ufgood, a farmer who's unexpectedly tasked with protecting a baby prophesied to bring about the downfall of a tyrannical queen in a faraway land. While far from a smash-hit in terms of box office and critical reception, Willow was modestly successful and has continued to grow its fanbase over the decades. Davis will reprise his role from the movie for the upcoming Willow series on Disney+.

Whereas Willow was a relatively expensive production for its time, Lowery admitted The Green Knight was limited by its smaller budget. “We couldn’t afford to do an actual, literal period piece in the 14th century with period-accurate costumes,” he said. “So [we were] finding this weird middle ground where it doesn’t have to be true to history and yet also feels grounded. Films like Willow and Ladyhawke did that really well.”

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Originally scheduled to premiere at SXSW before opening in May 2020, The Green Knight was delayed to 2021 by the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. With so much extra time, Lowery spent six months re-editing the film. “I just gave myself permission to dig back into the movie, unlock it, and rework the entire thing,” he said. “I found the affection I needed to cut it with love in my heart instead of disappointment and hate. It’s different -- it’s much better.”

Directed by David Lowery, The Green Knight arrives in theaters July 30. Lowery is currently working on Peter Pan and Wendy, a live-action re-imagining of Disney's animated 1953 movie adaptation of J.M. Barrie's classic story.

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Source: Vanity Fair