Edinburgh to host premiere for Netflix blockbuster Outlaw King

Edinburgh will roll out the red carpet to host a premiere for a new blockbuster historical drama telling the story of Scotland's most famous king.
Outlaw King, which stars Chris Pine as Robert the Bruce, will be released via Netflix in NovemberOutlaw King, which stars Chris Pine as Robert the Bruce, will be released via Netflix in November
Outlaw King, which stars Chris Pine as Robert the Bruce, will be released via Netflix in November

Outlaw King tells a David v Goliath story of how the great Robert The Bruce used cunning and bravery to defeat and repel the much larger and better equipped occupying English army.

Starring Californian actor Chris Pine as the heroic king, the Netflix big-budget film was shot on location at a variety of Scottish landmarks including Mugdock country park, Linlithgow Palace and Blackness Castle.

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Substantial sets were built and filmed at Historic Environment Scotland’s Craigmillar Castle, which saw village of thatched cottages created in the parkland around the castle and medieval workshops appear within the castle walls. Seacliff Beach in East Lothian also saw some of the action with horseback riders appearing on the beach.

Director David Mackenzie is now set to return to the Capital on October 19 with a number of key cast members for a Scottish premiere for the feature film ahead of its eagerly-anticipated Netflix global launch on November 9. A location has yet to be revealed but the Festival Theatre could be a likely location.

Creative Scotland said Outlaw King, which reunites Mr Mackenzie (Hell or High Water) with star Chris Pine alongside Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh and Billy Howle, was the largest production to be made to date in Scotland.

Matt Jones, supervising location manager for Outlaw King said: “That Edinburgh is able to host this scale of production is a real credit to the city, and I have to say that we felt supported every step of the way by the City Council and its film office Film Edinburgh who went out of their way to make us feel welcome and to facilitate our requirements.”

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It comes after Film Edinburgh announced filming in the city region generated a whopping £16.1 million for the economy last year following a number of feature films shot on location in the Capital including Avengers: Infinity War, starring Robert Downey Jr. and Scarlett Johansson.

Rosie Ellison, film manager for Film Edinburgh said: “From Avengers: Infinity War to the forthcoming Outlaw King, Edinburgh has demonstrated time and time again its credentials for facilitating large-scale films and TV dramas.

“Filmmakers regularly tell us that the Edinburgh city region is a ready-made film set, but behind the scenes are a host of services, businesses and residents who help make it happen.

“That Netflix has chosen Edinburgh for the premiere is recognition of the support that they received while filming Outlaw King here. We look forward to welcoming visitors who are inspired to visit our city after seeing it shine in the cinema.”