Know Before You Go: Guidance for travel in Great Britain and Northern Ireland
In the run-up to the 18 May release of the action adventure film King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, from Warner Bros. Pictures and Village Roadshow Pictures, VisitBritain has launched an international film tourism campaign to showcase why Britain is a legendary tourist destination. The six-week global ‘Where Stories Become Legends' digital campaign, a non-commercial partnership between VisitBritain and Warner Bros. Pictures, inspires people to book a King Arthur-themed holiday to Britain using #OMGBLegends (Oh My Great Britain ‘Home of Legendary Moments'). The campaign features an exclusive behind-the-scenes video of writer/director/producer Guy Ritchie, writer/producer Lionel Wigram, and the film's stars Charlie Hunnam and Jude Law, on location talking about the epic British landscapes used in King Arthur: Legend of the Sword and the emotions they inspire - click here to view the film. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword was filmed at Windsor Great Park and the Forest of Dean and Wye Valley in England, Snowdonia in Wales and Isle of Skye and the Highlands in Scotland. VisitBritain Director of Marketing Clare Mullin said: "From watching the sunset from the Old Man of Storr on the Isle of Skye to walking in King Arthur's footsteps in majestic Snowdonia to retracing his story at Tintagel Castle in Cornwall, Britain's epic scenery, ancient history and magical landscapes have the power to transform our holiday experiences into the stuff of legends. "Our collaboration with Warner Bros. Pictures on King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is a fantastic opportunity to showcase to a global audience of millions the legendary experiences only available in Britain, inspiring people to book a trip right now to discover their own epic stories."
‘Where Stories become Legends' is a six-week digital advertising campaign in Australia, France, Germany and the US, Britain's four most valuable inbound markets. The Australian campaign launched this week, featuring #OMGBLegends social media and digital content including VisitBritain's first Snapchat lens (available on 6 May) - inspired by the film.
The campaign drives online ‘traffic' to a dedicated campaign page featuring King Arthur: Legend of the Sword content on visitbritain.com filled with information on British locations from the film and King Arthur-inspired holiday experiences. Visitors to the site can play a ‘Legend Generator' game to unlock their own ‘kingdom' and discover which epic British location they are destined to rule. Fans can also enter a global competition to win a legendary road trip in Britain. VisitBritain has been promoting Britain to the world through film for more than a decade, most recently as part of the UK Government's GREAT Britain campaign. Films and TV are powerful motivators for travel with VisitBritain's research showing that more than a third of all potential visitors to Britain want to visit places they have seen on screen. Last year was a record-breaker for inbound tourism to the UK with 37.3 million visits, up 3.4% on 2015, with visitors spending £22.2 billion, matching 2015's record spend. VisitBritain's forecast shows that this growth is set to continue with 38.8 million visits this year, while spending by overseas visitors is predicted to reach £23.9 billion. Tourism is worth £127 billion to the UK economy. ENDS
For more information please contact
Kristen Angus at VisitBritain: Kristen.angus@visitbritain.org / +61 414 626 929
Notes to editors: Images If you use any of the images, you must include this legal line: © 2017 Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc. All rights reserved *Image captions and credits: KA-07804rv2 (L-r) DJIMON HOUNSOU as Bedivere and CHARLIE HUNNAM as Arthur in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' fantasy action adventure "KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD," distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. Photo credit: Daniel Smith KA-06299 CHARLIE HUNNAM as Arthur and ASTRID BERGES-FRISBEY as The Mage in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' fantasy action adventure "KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD," distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures KA-20692 CHARLIE HUNNAM as Arthur in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' fantasy action adventure "KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD," distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures KA-21727r CHARLIE HUNNAM as Arthur in Warner Bros. Pictures' and Village Roadshow Pictures' fantasy action adventure "KING ARTHUR: LEGEND OF THE SWORD," distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures Britain offers a wealth of opportunity for a King Arthur-inspired adventure, taking in ancient historic sites with claims to both the real-life legend and the dramatic locations that formed the backdrop for the film.
About the Film: Acclaimed filmmaker Guy Ritchie brings his dynamic style to the epic fantasy action adventure King Arthur: Legend of the Sword. Starring Charlie Hunnam in the title role, the film is an iconoclastic take on the classic Excalibur myth, tracing Arthur's journey from the streets to the throne. When the child Arthur's father is murdered, Vortigern (Jude Law), Arthur's uncle, seizes the crown. Robbed of his birthright and with no idea who he truly is, Arthur comes up the hard way in the back alleys of the city. But once he pulls the sword from the stone, his life is turned upside down and he is forced to acknowledge his true legacy...whether he likes it or not. In addition to Hunnam and Law, the film also stars Astrid Bergès-Frisbey, Djimon Hounsou, Aidan Gillen, and Eric Bana. King Arthur: Legend of the Sword is directed by Ritchie from a screenplay is by Joby Harold and Guy Ritchie & Lionel Wigram, story by David Dobkin and Joby Harold. The film is produced by Akiva Goldsman, Joby Harold, Tory Tunnell, Steve Clark-Hall, Guy Ritchie and Lionel Wigram. David Dobkin and Bruce Berman are executive producers. Slated for release worldwide beginning May 12, 2017, the film will be distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, a Warner Bros. Entertainment Company, and in select territories by Village Roadshow Pictures. www.kingarthurmovie.net