The Green Knight (film)
Step into a world where ancient legends collide with modern artistry as we explore David Lowery's visually stunning and thought-provoking film, 'The Green Knight.' This isn't just a simple retelling of a 14th-century poem; it's a profound journey into what it truly means to be a knight, to face one's destiny, and to grapple with integrity itself. Prepare to unravel the layers of a tale that asks: what is the worth of a life unexamined? The film reimagines a classic Arthurian poem, focusing less on heroic glory and more on the psychological and moral trials of its protagonist. Gawain's arduous journey is a crucible, forcing him to confront not just external threats, but also his own fears, desires, and understanding of honor. Critically acclaimed for its bold direction, stunning visuals, and Dev Patel's nuanced performance, 'The Green Knight' stands as a unique entry in modern fantasy cinema.
AI Summary
Step into a world where ancient legends collide with modern artistry as we explore David Lowery's visually stunning and thought-provoking film, 'The Green Knight.' This isn't just a simple retelling of a 14th-century poem; it's a profound journey into what it truly means to be a knight, to face one's destiny, and to grapple with integrity itself. Prepare to unravel the layers of a tale that asks: what is the worth of a life unexamined?
- The film reimagines a classic Arthurian poem, focusing less on heroic glory and more on the psychological and moral trials of its protagonist.
- Gawain's arduous journey is a crucible, forcing him to confront not just external threats, but also his own fears, desires, and understanding of honor.
- Critically acclaimed for its bold direction, stunning visuals, and Dev Patel's nuanced performance, 'The Green Knight' stands as a unique entry in modern fantasy cinema.
A Modern Vision of an Ancient Tale
In 2021, filmmaker David Lowery brought a bold, new vision to the screen: 'The Green Knight.' This epic medieval fantasy adventure isn't merely an adaptation; it's a deep dive into the 14th-century poem 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight,' starring Dev Patel in the titular role of Gawain. A24, known for its distinctive films, released this critically acclaimed work.
Critics widely praised 'The Green Knight' for its breathtaking cinematography, evocative music, superb acting—especially from Patel—and its stunning production design. Lowery's original direction and writing were particularly lauded, cementing the film's place as a unique cinematic achievement that challenged conventional fantasy tropes.
The Challenge at Camelot
Our story begins on Christmas morning in King Arthur's court. Young Gawain, Arthur's nephew, lacks a heroic tale of his own, a mark of true knighthood. Unbeknownst to him, his mother—a powerful sorceress—performs a mysterious ritual, summoning the enigmatic Green Knight.
The Green Knight bursts into the feast, proposing a 'game': any knight who can strike him will win his formidable green axe. But there's a catch—that knight must travel to the distant Green Chapel in one year's time to receive an equal blow in return. Gawain, eager for a story, rashly accepts the challenge.
Wielding Arthur's sword, Gawain decapitates the mystical intruder. But to the court's horror, the Green Knight simply rises, retrieves his severed head, and repeats his chilling promise, his laughter echoing as he departs. Gawain has earned his story, but at what cost?
The Road to Destiny
A year passes, and Gawain lives on the fame of his deed, reveling in his newfound status. But as Christmas approaches, King Arthur gently reminds him of his solemn vow. Donning a magical green girdle given by his mother, which she claims will protect him from all harm, Gawain sets out for the Green Chapel.
First Trials: Thieves and Ghosts
His journey quickly turns perilous. He crosses a desolate battlefield and is soon ambushed by a group of scavengers who steal his horse, his axe, and most crucially, his protective girdle. Left bound and helpless, Gawain hallucinates his own gruesome end.
After escaping, he stumbles upon an abandoned cottage, where he encounters the spectral Winifred. This young woman asks Gawain to retrieve her lost skull from a nearby spring. In a chilling exchange, she poses the question, 'What's the difference?' between a spirit and a person.
Gawain, despite his initial reluctance, honors her request, reuniting her skull with her remains. In a subtle twist of fate, he awakens the next morning to find his stolen axe mysteriously returned to him, a hint of unseen forces at play.
The Lord's Castle and a Game of Exchanges
Accompanied by a newfound fox companion, Gawain eventually reaches a magnificent castle. Its eccentric Lord informs him that the Green Chapel is close by and invites Gawain to stay until Christmas Day. Here, Gawain encounters the Lord's Lady, who bears a striking resemblance to his lover, Essel.
The Lord proposes a peculiar game: each day, he will give Gawain whatever he catches on his hunt, and Gawain must return whatever he receives within the castle. The Lady, meanwhile, attempts to seduce Gawain, ultimately stealing a token from Essel that he carries.
On the final day, the Lady offers Gawain a new protective girdle, claiming to have made it herself. In a moment of weakness, Gawain accepts it, allowing her an intimate act and receiving a kiss. He secretly keeps the girdle, violating the Lord's game.
Later, the Lord confronts Gawain in the forest, offering him a kiss—representing what Gawain received from the Lady—and revealing he has captured Gawain's fox, which he then releases. Gawain, however, conceals the girdle, failing to uphold his end of the bargain.
The Green Chapel and the Vision of a Life
Finally, Gawain reaches the Green Chapel. As he approaches, his fox companion speaks, urging him to turn back—a final chance to avoid his fate. But Gawain, determined, chases it away and makes his way to the slumbering Green Knight, waiting through the cold night.
On Christmas morning, the Knight awakens. As the axe swings, Gawain flinches. He kneels again, but at the last moment, he scrambles away, apologizing as he flees back to Arthur's court. This act of cowardice triggers a profound vision of his future.
In this imagined future, Gawain returns to Camelot, becomes king after Arthur's death, and marries a noblewoman, abandoning Essel and their son. He remains a reviled, cowardly king, haunted by his failure and still wearing the protective girdle. His life is one of sorrow, loss, and unfulfilled potential.
His vision culminates in a siege, his family abandoning him, and finally, his castle falling. He removes the girdle he has worn for decades, and in that instant, his head falls from his shoulders—a deferred but inevitable fate for a life lived without true integrity.
The True Meaning of Honor
The vision shatters. Gawain is back in the Green Chapel, kneeling before the Knight. He removes the girdle, ready to face his fate with courage. The Green Knight, recognizing this profound shift, gently runs his finger across Gawain's neck, declares, 'Well done, my brave knight,' and with a playful smile, adds, 'Now! Off, with your head'—leaving his ultimate fate ambiguous, yet profoundly resolved.
Crafting the Legend
Inspired Direction
Director David Lowery drew inspiration from 1980s fantasy films like 'Willow' and 'Excalibur,' aiming to create a modern retelling with an old soul. He intentionally made changes, such as making Morgan le Fay Gawain's mother, to weave elements more naturally into the narrative and explore deeper themes of family and destiny.
Lowery blended practical effects with subtle digital enhancements. The imposing Green Knight was brought to life on set with intricate prosthetics, giving actor Ralph Ineson a physical presence that grounded the fantastical character. This commitment to tangible artistry extended to the set designs, using hand-painted matte paintings to evoke an older cinematic magic.
Costume designer Malgosia Turzanska incorporated diverse influences, from South American designs for the crowns to subtle references to Lowery's other films within King Arthur's cloak. Gawain's golden cape was a direct homage to his golden mantle in the original poem, symbolizing his perceived nobility.
Unpacking the Themes
At its heart, Lowery describes the film as an exploration of integrity over legacy. Gawain's journey is a test of his inner character, suggesting that true honor comes from facing one's destiny bravely, not from avoiding it or seeking superficial glory. The ambiguous ending reinforces this, celebrating the courage of acceptance.
The film also delves into the ancient conflict between mankind and nature, and the decline of Arthurian Christian civilization against paganism. The Green Knight, a tree-like entity, represents nature's inevitable triumph. Lowery subtly portrays Arthur and Guinevere as sickly, hinting at the waning power of the world they represent.
Release and Acclaim
Originally set for a March 2020 premiere at SXSW, the film's release was significantly delayed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Lowery used this unexpected pause to re-edit the film, shaping it into a version he felt was truly satisfying, eventually leading to its theatrical release in July 2021.
Upon its release, 'The Green Knight' garnered widespread critical acclaim. Rotten Tomatoes reported an 89% approval rating, with critics praising its ability to 'honor and deconstruct its source material in equal measure.' Metacritic assigned a weighted average score of 85 out of 100, indicating 'universal acclaim.'
Many critics highlighted the film's exploration of self-discovery and destiny. Alison Willmore of Vulture noted the film 'is about someone who keeps waiting for external forces to turn him into the gallant, heroic figure he believes he should be,' concluding that 'you'll never be able to leave yourself behind.'
The film also achieved modest box office success, grossing over $20 million worldwide against a $15 million budget. It debuted strongly, performing particularly well in major urban markets, a testament to its appeal among discerning filmgoers.
Beyond critical praise, 'The Green Knight' earned several accolades. It was nominated for Gotham Awards' Best Feature and David Lowery for Best Screenplay, and won 'Top Independent Films' at the National Board of Review Awards. Dev Patel's performance was also recognized with a Critics' Choice Super Award for Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie.
Award Category Recipient(s) Result Holly. Music in Media Awards Original Score — Independent Film Daniel Hart Nominated Gotham Awards Best Feature The Green Knight Nominated Gotham Awards Best Screenplay David Lowery Nominated National Board of Review Awards Top Independent Films The Green Knight Won Critics' Choice Super Awards Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie Dev Patel Won Hugo Awards Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form David Lowery Nominated
Article
The Green Knight (film)
The Green Knight is a 2021 dark fantasy adventure film directed, written, produced, and edited by David Lowery. It is an adaptation from the anonymously written 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight and stars Dev Patel as Gawain, who sets out on a journey to test his courage and face the Green Knight. It also stars Alicia Vikander (in a dual role), Joel Edgerton, Sarita Choudhury, Sean Harris, and Ralph Ineson as the titular character.
The Green Knight was theatrically released in the United States on July 30, 2021, by A24. The film received acclaim from critics for its cinematography, music, acting (particularly Patel's), production values, and Lowery's originality, direction, and writing. It grossed over $20 million against a budget of $15 million.
Plot
The Chivalric Romance
Gawain is awakened on Christmas morning in a brothel by his lover, a commoner woman named Essel. He returns to Camelot, following a scolding by his mother Morgan le Fay.
The Christmas Court
Gawain attends a feast at the Round Table with his uncle King Arthur, who invites Gawain to his side. In a tower, le Fay performs a magic rite which summons the mysterious Green Knight who barges into Arthur's court as Merlin gives Arthur a look. He states that any knight able to land a blow on him will win his green axe, but must travel to the Green Chapel the following Christmas and receive an equal blow in return. Gawain takes up the challenge. The Knight yields and Gawain, wielding Excalibur, decapitates him. The Knight rises and lifts his severed head, reminds Gawain of the bargain and leaves.
A Too Quick Year
Gawain spends a year reveling before Arthur reminds him to uphold his end of the challenge.
The Journey Out
Gawain departs on horseback for the Green Chapel, taking the green axe and a green girdle made by his mother, who claims that no harm will come to him so long as he wears it.
A Kindness
During his journey, Gawain meets a boy scavenging a battlefield littered with dead warriors. The boy directs Gawain to a stream that will lead him to the Green Chapel. He asks for payment and Gawain gives him a single coin. Shortly afterwards, the boy and two others ambush Gawain and steal the axe, girdle and horse, leaving him tied up. Gawain scrambles to his sword and uses it to cut the ropes binding his hands and then pursues them.
A Meeting with Saint Winifred
By nightfall, Gawain arrives at an abandoned cottage and falls asleep in the bed. He is awakened by the ghost of a young woman named Saint Winifred, who asks Gawain to retrieve her head from a nearby spring. He asks what he will receive in return but is rebuffed. He reunites her skull with her skeletal remains and the next morning finds the axe has been returned to him.
Interlude
Gawain befriends a red fox who accompanies him on his journey where they see some giants. He reaches a castle inhabited by a Lord who informs him that the Green Chapel is nearby, and Gawain accepts his invitation to stay.
An Exchange of Winnings
The Lord's lady, who resembles Essel, makes seductive overtures towards Gawain. The Lord proposes they exchange what he obtains while hunting with whatever Gawain finds at the castle. The next morning, the Lady presents Gawain with the green girdle, which she claims to have made herself. Gawain accedes to her advances in exchange for it. Gawain flees and encounters the Lord in the forest. The Lord kisses Gawain in return for his Lady's actions, but Gawain does not give him the girdle. The Lord reveals that he has captured Gawain's fox and releases it.
A Beheading at the Green Chapel
Gawain reaches a stream where a boat is waiting. The fox speaks, imploring Gawain to abandon the quest. Gawain takes the boat to the chapel, where the Knight is seated in hibernation. Gawain waits through the night, and the Green Knight awakens on Christmas morning. As the Knight swings the axe Gawain flinches. The Knight chides him. Gawain kneels for the blow again but at the last moment scrambles away while apologizing on the way out. He finds his horse outside the chapel and rides back home.
The Voyage Home
Gawain flees back to Camelot. Gawain is knighted and becomes king after Arthur's death. In his reverie, Essel bears his son, but Gawain abandons her, taking the child and marrying a noblewoman instead. His son comes of age and dies in battle. Many years later, Gawain has become a reviled king. With his castle under siege and his wife, daughter, and mother abandoning him, he removes the green girdle, and his head falls from his shoulders.
Finale
It is then revealed that all that was just a vision. The kneeling Gawain removes the girdle, telling the Knight he is ready. The Knight praises Gawain for his bravery, then drags his finger across Gawain's throat and points past him, stating "Now, off with your head". He smiles kindly.
Cast
The Green Knight (film)
An uncredited voice actor voices the red fox that becomes Gawain's companion.
The giants that Gawain and his red fox companion encounter are motion-captured by Andrea Deaskovic, Melinda Dempsey, Aoibheann Garry, Isabel Friosi, Rachel Quinn, Hannah Sjoden, and Lucy Waters.
Production
The Green Knight (film)
Plaque at Cahir Castle, Ireland, commemorating its use as a filming location for The Green Knight.
The Wonderful Barn, used for filming as the "crooked tower."
It was announced in November 2018 that David Lowery would direct and write a modern retelling of the 14th-century tale Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, with A24, Ley Line Entertainment, and Bron Studios set to finance.
In March 2019, Dev Patel was announced to be in negotiations to star in the film. That month, Barry Keoghan and Ralph Ineson joined the cast. In April 2019, it was announced Alicia Vikander and Erin Kellyman had been cast.
Principal photography began in Ireland in March 2019. Ardmore Studios and Cahir Castle, County Tipperary, were used as filming locations, as was Charleville Castle in Tullamore, County Offaly.
Weta Digital created the visual effects.
Lowery was inspired by fantasy films of the 1980s such as Willow and Excalibur. Initially, while writing the script, Lowery did not intend for Morgan le Fay to be Gawain's mother, but felt that altering the story this way allowed for her to be more naturally introduced into the narrative. Lowery stated that the intercut scenes of le Fay casting the spell that summons the Green Knight were not part of the original screenplay. However, Lowery was impressed with actress Sarita Choudhury's work with the character and the scene was written and storyboarded to be included in the Round Table scene. Lowery spent well over a year editing the scene together. The decision to design le Fay's spell in the form of a handwritten letter was also due to Lowery's fondness for letter writing, found in his other works as well.
The inclusion of Saint Winifred was inspired by the mention of the Holy Head (Holywell) in the original poem.
The highway robbery is an allusion to the 1975 film Barry Lyndon, while the battlefield where Gawain first encounters the robber is inspired by the Battle of Badon. While Gawain's ultimate fate is left ambiguous at the end of the film, Lowery originally shot a more "explicit" and "definitive" ending, but felt that it would affect audiences' feelings coming away from the film.
Set designs, such as the scene at the Round Table, included hand painted matte paintings to extend the set, a technique Lowery favored from films in the '80s and '90s. Time constraints with shooting forced cinematographer Andrew Droz Palermo and production designer Jade Healy to plan how lighting would be built into the Round Table scene ahead of time.
Costume designer Malgosia Turzanska drew upon South American designs when designing the crowns worn by Arthur and Guinevere. Lowery also felt the designs reinforced the "saintly" status of Arthur and Guinevere as representations of Christendom in the West. The decorative plaques on Arthur's cloak referenced the creative team's various interpretations of King Arthur, and also included references to Lowery's other works, such as A Ghost Story. Turzanska also designed the golden cape worn by Gawain to represent the character's golden mantle from the original poem.
No digital visual effects were used in creating the Green Knight during the Round Table scene. Lowery preferred this in order to give the character presence on set. Actor Ralph Ineson wore wood-like prosthetics designed by Barry Gower. Scenes involving the horse alternated with a false mount that was wheeled around with a dolly, after the initial horse used for the scenes would not cooperate with Ineson. Lowery stated that the crew used practical effects to make the Green Knight appear larger, such as mounting Ineson on platforms. Digital effects were later used during the Green Knight's hibernation scene, including subtly transforming the knight's face into that of the other cast members. Speaking about the subtle humor and lightness incorporated into the otherwise dark script, Lowery stated that near the end of the film, he directed Ineson to portray the Green Knight as Santa Claus.
Another major influence on the film was Bram Stoker’s Dracula, according to Lowery this was one of his all-time favorite films, and the use of practical effects, dissolves and old-fashioned cinema tricks never ceased to inspire him, and he paid deliberate homage to its magic when St. Winifred first approaches Gawain in her cottage.
Themes
Integrity and character
Lowery describes the film as being about the importance of comporting oneself with integrity and goodness over being concerned with one's legacy. Though the question of Gawain's ultimate fate is left intentionally ambiguous, Lowery stated that he wanted the possibility of Gawain being beheaded to be "a positive thing ... He faces his fate bravely, and there's honor and integrity in that. But that doesn't mean that he's dead, he's killed. He received the blow that he was dealt, and all is set right within the universe of the film." The after-credits scene showing a young girl putting on a crown has been seen as "a tease of an alternate life that Gawain leads as king of Camelot, with his daughter (possibly even mothered by Essel) a sign of the happiness he found."
Familial relationships
The complicated relationship between Morgan le Fay and Gawain written for the film also evoked Lowery's experiences with his mother and needing to be pushed to stand on his own as an adult.
Women
Erasing and ignoring the presence of women is a prevalent theme. Gawain's attitude toward women as easily overlooked and forgotten is reflected in both the original poem and the film.
Nature
The film also deals with the conflict between mankind and nature. Lowery stated that monologue by Vikander's Lady Bertilak reflects both the symbolism of Arthurian Christian civilization being in conflict with paganism and nature and his own sentiment that nature will inevitably win over civilization and bring peace. The Green Knight's depiction as a tree-like entity also depicts nature and paganism invading the dull sanctum of the Round Table and Arthur's kingdom. This is further emphasized by Lowery's decision to portray Arthur and Guinevere as sickly, alluding to the waning control of the civilization they represent.
Release
The Green Knight (film)
The mass closures of cinemas brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic forced the release of The Green Knight to be delayed from May 2020 to July 2021.
Originally, The Green Knight was scheduled to have its world premiere at the South by Southwest film festival (SXSW) on March 16, 2020, with a full theatrical release following on May 29. The COVID-19 pandemic, however, forced the cancellation of SXSW and a mass closure of movie theatres worldwide. With no timeframe for when cinemas might reopen, some studios opted to release their new films through video on demand (VOD). Lowery told the A24 Project podcast and IndieWire that he would prefer The Green Knight to see a theatrical release, but that he was ultimately not in control over whether or not it opened on VOD.
Later, Lowery revealed that he would have been unhappy with the cut of The Green Knight that was set to debut at SXSW, and that he spent six months during the pandemic re-editing the film into something with which he could be satisfied. In December 2020, A24 announced that The Green Knight would receive a theatrical-only release, opening in US cinemas on July 30, 2021. One streaming video option was available in the US: The A24 Screening Room allowed viewers to purchase a $20 ticket that allowed them to stream The Green Knight, with an additional Q&A session with the cast and crew, during a four-hour window of their choice on the night of August 18. Although the US release progressed as planned, Entertainment Film Distributors chose to pull The Green Knight from UK cinemas two weeks before its scheduled theatrical release on August 6, citing the surge in COVID-19 cases from the Delta variant. After some deliberation, Entertainment opted to release The Green Knight simultaneously in theaters and through Amazon Prime Video on September 24 in the UK.
As part of a partnership between A24 and IMAX, the film was re-released exclusively in IMAX theaters for one night only on December 11, 2024.
Home media
The Green Knight was released on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray, Blu-ray, DVD, and digitally through Lionsgate Home Entertainment on October 12, 2021. While the Blu-ray release contained a number of special features that highlighted certain elements of the film's production, no deleted or alternate scenes from The Green Knight were included.
Reception
Box office
The Green Knight grossed $17.1 million in the United States and Canada, and $2.8 million in other territories, for a worldwide total of $20 million.
In the United States and Canada, The Green Knight was released alongside Jungle Cruise and Stillwater, and was projected to gross around $4 million from 2,790 theaters in its opening weekend. The film made $2.9 million on its first day, including $750,000 from Thursday night previews. It ended up slightly over-performing, debuting to $6.8 million and finished second at the box office behind Jungle Cruise. The film played best in big markets such as New York City, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. The film fell 62% to $2.6 million in its second weekend, finishing sixth, then made $1.6 million in its third weekend.
Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an approval rating of 89% based on 331 reviews, with an average rating of 8/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "The Green Knight honors and deconstructs its source material in equal measure, producing an absorbing adventure that casts a fantastical spell." Metacritic assigned the film a weighted average score of 85 out of 100 based on 56 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "C+" on an A+ to F scale.
Writing for Vulture, Alison Willmore said that the film "is about someone who keeps waiting for external forces to turn him into the gallant, heroic figure he believes he should be", and added: "at the film's heart is a lesson that's as timeless as any legend — travel as far as you like, but you'll never be able to leave yourself behind." Brian Tallerico of RogerEbert.com gave the film a score of 4 out of 4 stars, describing the film as "one of the most memorable films of the year, a fascinating swirl of masculinity, temptation, heroism, and religion", adding: "It's a film that embeds the concept of storytelling and performance into its narrative ... while also weaving its own enchanting spell on audiences." Barry Hertz of The Globe and Mail described the film as "a beautiful, haunting and enigmatic work that reckons with the folklore's grave and tragic elements to deliver a masterpiece of blood, sex and magic", and praised Patel's performance as Gawain. John Nugent of Empire gave the film a score of 5 out of 5 stars, describing it as "a rivetingly weird and exceptionally beautiful fantasy film that offers no easy answers but ponders the biggest questions", and wrote that the film was "Revisionist Fantasy, doing for the genre what the likes of Robert Altman or Alejandro Jodorowsky did with their Revisionist Westerns: bringing an avant-garde flair and an ambiguous morality to a previously occasionally cheesy and childlike world."
Keith Watson of Slant Magazine gave the film a score of 2.5 out of 4 stars, describing it as "a self-consciously revisionist take on Camelot lore", and wrote that the film "smooths out the enduring mysteries, opaque psychology, and narrative idiosyncrasies of Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, resulting in a work that's only superficially more daring and enigmatic than its source material." Simon Abrams of TheWrap wrote that "while there's a lot of commendable chutzpah and curious longing baked into The Green Knight, the movie's never as compelling as it is unusual."
In December 2024, Collider ranked the film at number 2 on its list of the "10 Best Fantasy Movies of the 2020s," with Robert Lee III writing "David Lowery has always succeeded in this type of somber, yet undeniably large-scale filmmaking, with The Green Knight easily being the director's magnum opus." In June 2025, IndieWire ranked the film at number 45 on its list of "The 100 Best Movies of the 2020s (So Far)."
Accolades
<table><thead><tr><th>Award</th><th>Date of ceremony</th><th>Category</th><th>Recipient(s)</th><th>Result</th><th>Ref.</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Hollywood Music in Media Awards</td><td>November 17, 2021</td><td>Original Score — Independent Film</td><td>Daniel Hart</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Gotham Awards</td><td>November 29, 2021</td><td>Best Feature</td><td>The Green Knight</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Screenplay</td><td>David Lowery</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>National Board of Review Awards</td><td>December 2, 2021</td><td>Top Independent Films</td><td>The Green Knight</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Detroit Film Critics Society Awards</td><td>December 6, 2021</td><td>Best Director</td><td>David Lowery</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Adapted Screenplay</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Washington D.C. Area Film Critics Association Awards</td><td>December 6, 2021</td><td>Best Film</td><td>The Green Knight</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Director</td><td>David Lowery</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Best Cinematography</td><td>Andrew Droz Palermo</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Society of Composers & Lyricists Awards</td><td>March 8, 2022</td><td>Outstanding Original Score for an Independent Film</td><td>Daniel Hart</td><td>Won</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Critics' Choice Super Awards</td><td>March 17, 2022</td><td>Best Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie</td><td>The Green Knight</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Best Actor in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie</td><td>Dev Patel</td><td>Won</td></tr><tr><td>Best Actress in a Science Fiction/Fantasy Movie</td><td>Alicia Vikander</td><td>Nominated</td></tr><tr><td>Hugo Awards</td><td>September 4, 2022</td><td>Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form</td><td>David Lowery</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr><tr><td>Saturn Awards</td><td>October 25, 2022</td><td>Best Fantasy Film</td><td>The Green Knight</td><td>Nominated</td><td></td></tr></tbody></table>