TIFF announces Outlaw King with Chris Pine as opening night film

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

There’s a lot on the docket at this year's Toronto International Film Festival, and the organization has just announced everything will be kicked off with the world premiere of the upcoming Netflix movie OUTLAW KING. The period epic from director David Mackenzie and starring Chris Pine chronicles the rise of the 14th-century Scottish figure Robert the Bruce as he took on the mighty power of England…and Klingons. Nah, just England. 

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“TIFF’s Opening Night Film, Outlaw King, tells a powerful story that is rich in drama, excitement, romance, and adventure,” said Piers Handling, Director & CEO of TIFF in a statement. “Audiences are promised a thrilling journey back in time, as David Mackenzie masterfully unwraps history with taut dramatic flare and brings to life the true story of Scottish hero Robert the Bruce. Gripping performances led by Chris Pine and Aaron Taylor-Johnson make this a classic, entertaining, and action-packed Festival opener."

The film marks the first from Mackenzie since his Oscar-nominated HELL OR HIGH WATER (also starring Pine) and features a supporting cast rounded out by Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Florence Pugh, Billy Howle, Tony Curran, Stephen Dillane and more.

“Thank you, TIFF, for welcoming our film into the world. The Festival is the perfect launch pad for our realistic epic, and we are delighted to be the first Scottish film ever to open Toronto,” said Mackenzie. “I cannot imagine a better place to have our World Premiere. Scotland and Canada’s histories are bound together, forged in the crucible of the struggles of history, bringing this day an affinity and sensibility that I hope will translate to a profound, visceral, and riotously entertaining experience. We have an amazing cast and crew working at the top of their game, and we are really looking forward to spreading some Scottish goodwill on the great city of Toronto.”

Here is the plot synopsis:

Outlaw King follows the untold, true story of Robert the Bruce, who transforms from defeated nobleman to outlaw hero during the oppressive occupation of medieval Scotland by Edward I of England. Despite grave consequences, Robert seizes the Scottish crown and rallies an impassioned group of men to fight back against the mighty army of the tyrannical King and his volatile son, the Prince of Wales.

TIFF also announced their closing night film, which will be the Justin Kelly (I AM MICHAEL) drama JEREMIAH TERMINATOR LEROY starring Laura Dern and Kristen Stewart.

“With Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy, Justin Kelly brings to the screen a truly unbelievable story that captivated a nation,” said Cameron Bailey, Artistic Director of TIFF in a statement. “The storytelling is powerful and the characters are vivid, really evoking the idea that you have to see it to believe it."

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Here is the plot synopsis:

This captivating true story goes beyond the headlines to reveal the most compelling literary hoax of our generation. Laura Albert (Laura Dern) is an author who writes under a fictionalized persona, a disenfranchised young queer man named JT LeRoy. When her debut novel becomes a bestseller and JT becomes the darling of the literary world, she comes up with a unique solution to preserve her anonymity while giving life to her nom-de-plume. Enter her boyfriend’s androgynous sister, Savannah Knoop (Kristen Stewart), who connects with Laura’s punk, feminist, outsider universe and agrees to be JT in the public eye. Together, they embark on a wild ride of double lives, infiltrating the Hollywood and literary elite — and discovering who they are in the process.

Our own Chris Bumbray will be at TIFF, so stay tuned for his reviews of all the movies he sees! 

TIFF runs from September 6-16, and OUTLAW KING is set to arrive on Netflix November 9.