‘The Uprising’ trailer: Andrew Garfield leads a brutal medieval rebellion in Paul Greengrass’ historical epic

Paul Greengrass is returning to large-scale historical filmmaking with The Uprising, and the first trailer teases a visceral retelling of one of England’s defining popular revolts.

Released by Focus Features, the trailer stars Andrew Garfield as Wat Tyler, the blacksmith-turned-rebel who led the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381 against the rule of King Richard II. As crushing taxes and widening inequality push ordinary people to breaking point, Tyler emerges as the unlikely leader of a movement determined to challenge the Crown.

Garfield is joined by an ensemble cast that includes Jamie Bell, Thomasin McKenzie, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Cosmo Jarvis, Jonny Lee Miller, Katherine Waterston and Woody Norman.

The film marks Greengrass’ latest collaboration with Focus Features following his acclaimed career directing United 93, Captain Phillips and several Jason Bourne films. Inspired by the real-life uprising that briefly threatened England’s feudal order, the filmmaker has said he wanted to tell the story from the perspective of ordinary people instead of kings and nobles, drawing parallels between the frustrations of the 14th century and contemporary social unrest.

Produced by Jason Blum’s Blumhouse alongside Greengrass and Gregory Goodman, The Uprising arrives in theatres on September 11.