Samuel Goldwyn Films Will Bring Medieval Epic 'William Tell' to Theaters in 2025

Everyone is familiar with William Tell, but few probably know much about him beyond the often-repeated story about the time he shot an arrow through an apple on top of his son's head. Somehow, the bit where that whole thing actually sparked a battle for Swiss independence seems to get left by the wayside. But, at long last, the famous folk hero will get his due, with an action-heavy feature film about his exploits --- and the resistance they inspired --- set to hit theaters next year.

William Tell had its world premiere last week at the Toronto International Film Festival, where it was immediately scooped up by Samuel Goldwyn Films for U.S. audiences. The film, labeled a "resistance epic", will follow the story of the cross-bow-wielding folk hero who, after failing to salute a government official, is forced to shoot an apple off the head of his own son to save his family from execution. Thankfully his aim is true, and his actions inspired everything from a rebellion among his people to, centuries later, a well-known orchestral overture and a fairly outstanding Far Side comic.

Claes Bang (Bad Sisters) stars as William, a formerly peaceful hunter who finds himself forced to take action when his homeland comes under threat from the oppressive Austrian king and his warlords. There are some Swiss Braveheart vibes here, to be sure, as a group of oppressed people rally to defend their liberty against a would-be tyrannical force that seems to subjugate them. Plus, the scope and scale of the story look downright impressive.