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The Lost King

The Lost King

Her story made history.

2022108 minPG-13Midcredits score: 71st percentile of all films
Director
Stephen Frears
Starring
Sally Hawkins, Steve Coogan, Harry Lloyd, Mark Addy

An amateur historian defies the academic establishment in her efforts to find King Richard III's remains, which were lost for over 500 years.

Where to watch

Where can I watch The Lost King?

As of October 24, 2026, MovieCove lists The Lost King streaming on Acorn TV via Prime Video, AMC+ and Sundance Now via Prime Video and to rent or buy on Prime Video.

Your rating, lists and review

Highlights

What stands out about The Lost King?

The Lost King earns 4 badges, led by Crowd Pleaser and Award Winner.

  • Reception
  • Craft and mood
  • Awards and box office

Reception

Is The Lost King worth watching?

The Lost King's Midcredits score is the 71st percentile of all films, from 29K ratings across 6 sources. 66% liked it (rated it 7 or higher out of 10).

Midcredits score

How well it was received

71st percentile

Better received than 71% of films

52nd percentile among Biography72nd percentile among 2020s
Acclaim (how much people like it)65th
Approval (how many liked it)74th

66 /100

65th percentile of all films

47th percentile among Biography65th percentile among 2020s

Critics 64 · Audience 66

Critics and audiences broadly agree.

Rating distribution

A broad spread centered near 6.9 — solid but not unanimous.

66% liked it

74th percentile of all films

55th percentile among Biography74th percentile among 2020s
66% rated it 7–1034% rated it 1–6

Critics 77% · Audience 92%

On Rotten Tomatoes, a bigger share of audiences approved than critics.

Awards

0 Oscars won · 0 Oscar noms · 1 wins / 4 noms overall

Reach

How many have seen it

92nd percentile

29K ratings across platforms

82nd percentile among Biography93rd percentile among 2020s
TMDB popularity, last 37 days to Oct 26Down 16% in 30 days

Box office

Opening weekend$516K
Domestic gross$1.2M
Worldwide gross$4.5M

56th percentile earner in its genre.

What reviewers say

Common ground

A well-acted British drama about an amateur historian's determined quest to find Richard III's remains beneath a Leicester car park.

Fans praised

  • Sally Hawkins' warm, nuanced performance carries the film
  • Inspiring true story of an amateur's persistence against the establishment
  • Engaging blend of humor, heart, and historical curiosity

Detractors panned

  • Overly simplistic, clichéd underdog narrative with one-dimensional academic villains
  • Ghostly Richard III device feels contrived and undermines the real story
  • Historical inaccuracies and biased portrayal of the university's role

What stands out

ActingDivisive82

Sally Hawkins' performance widely praised as heartfelt and nuanced; Coogan and supporting cast generally solid but some find Hawkins miscast

Emotional impactDivisive68

Moves many fans with underdog triumph; detractors find it saccharine or emotionally flat

Dialogue65

Witty, natural British banter in places; script functional but not standout

EndingDivisive62

Satisfying resolution for fans; some critics find final act rushed or lacking impact

Plot and storyDivisive58

Formulaic underdog structure with predictable beats; many note lack of tension despite fascinating true story

CharactersDivisive55

Philippa drawn as sympathetic underdog but simplified; academic villains feel cartoonish

PacingDivisive55

Slow build in first half, rush to conclusion; some find it plodding, others engaging

OriginalityDivisive45

By-the-numbers biopic with familiar 'against all odds' template; relies on true story novelty

Preferred by

US vs non-US

Preferred by US Viewers

US viewers scored it 13 points higher than non-US viewers.

No notable difference between the other groups: each pair ranks it within 10 percentile points.

  • Women vs men 9 points apart
  • Critics vs users 1 point apart

Watch experience

What is The Lost King like to watch?

Conclusions only — categories and positions, no plot detail.

Quiet and reflective: browse every movie of this kind

Watch this when you are in a patient, quiet mood.

It is gentle, takes its time and leaves you fired up. Skip it when you want things to move fast.

ToneFeelDemandwhat the answer rests onexact position · filled zone: the category

What it asks of you

Patience.

What it feels like

Quiet and reflective.

Moods
HopefulContemplative
Heaviest: late
Wry humor: Amused and slightly dry about it.
Register
WarmSentimental · 8% of films
Told as
Three-act: Setup, confrontation, resolution — the default Hollywood shape.
ToneThe film treats its protagonist's quest with warmth and gentle humour, never mocking her determination.
The rideThe mood is steadily hopeful as Langley persists, with a contemplative tone throughout, and the emotional peak arrives with the discovery late in the film.
StructureConventional biopic narrative told in chronological order.

How it leaves you

what you carry away

Fired up.

Rousing · 10% of filmsHopeful
Why it leaves you this wayLeaves the viewer inspired by one person's determination to overcome skepticism and achieve the extraordinary.
How it ends · evidence
Happy ending

Story archetype

where it sits among all films
Monster — 21% of films. A threat menaces the hero's world and must be defeated.Rags — 3% of films. A rise from lowliness to fortune, status, or recognition.Quest — 10% of films. A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles.Voyage — 4% of films. Into a strange world and back again, changed.Comedy — 11% of films. Confusion and cross-purposes resolved into harmony.Tragedy — 9% of films. A flaw or fixation drives the protagonist to ruin.Rebirth — 13% of films. A stalled or darkened life reopened and renewed.Mystery — 7% of films. A question drives the story — who did it, what happened, what is real — until it is answered.No archetype — 22% of filmsPredator — 6% of films. A creature or killer hunts the protagonists (Jaws, Alien).Tyrant — 6% of films. A human villain holds power over the hero's world (Die Hard).Invasion — 2% of films. An external force attacks the home or world (Independence Day).Oppressive state — 2% of films. A government, its agencies or a secret faction inside them is the monster (V for Vendetta).Corporate villainy — 1% of films. A company or its bosses are the monster (Erin Brockovich).Institutional injustice — 1% of films. A court, prison, police force, school or church is itself the enemy (Spotlight).Class system — under 1% of films. The gap between rich and poor, or a rigid hierarchy, is the monster (Parasite).Technology turns — under 1% of films. Technology people rely on becomes the threat (The Terminator).Inner demon — 1% of films. The monster is within — addiction, illness, a dark double.Underdog triumph — 2% of films. Rise through competition or contest (Rocky).Social ascent — under 1% of films. A climb in class or status (Pretty Woman).Fame and fortune — under 1% of films. An artistic or showbiz rise (A Star Is Born).Rise and fall — under 1% of films. Wealth or power gained, self lost (Scarface).Hidden worth revealed — under 1% of films. The protagonist's true value finally recognized.Treasure hunt — 1% of films. Retrieve an object of value (Raiders of the Lost Ark).Rescue — 4% of films. Retrieve or save a person (Saving Private Ryan).Mission — 5% of films. Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).Journey home — under 1% of films. The goal is getting back (Finding Nemo).Pilgrimage — 1% of films. The journey itself transforms; the destination is symbolic.Portal fantasy — under 1% of films. Transported into another world (The Wizard of Oz).Fish out of water — 2% of films. Displaced into an unfamiliar social world (Elf).Survival ordeal — 1% of films. Trapped in a hostile environment, fighting back (Cast Away).Time displacement — under 1% of films. Unstuck in time (Back to the Future).Descent — 1% of films. A night-journey into an underworld or subculture (After Hours).Romantic comedy — 4% of films. Lovers kept apart by confusion, united at last.Comedy of errors — 3% of films. Mistaken identity or misunderstanding drives the plot.Farce — 2% of films. Escalating absurd chaos and coincidence (The Hangover).Buddy comedy — 1% of films. A mismatched pair forced together (Rush Hour).Comedy of manners — 1% of films. Social codes and class satirized (Clueless).Hubris — 1% of films. Pride or ambition invites the fall (There Will Be Blood).Obsession — 2% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Corruption arc — 2% of films. Step-by-step moral decay (The Godfather).Doomed love — 2% of films. Love destroyed by circumstance (Brokeback Mountain).Crushed by fate — 3% of films. Destroyed by forces beyond the protagonist's control.Redemption — 3% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Healing — 5% of films. Recovery from grief or trauma (Good Will Hunting).Liberation — 2% of films. Breaking free of a confining life (Room).Second chance — 2% of films. A stagnant life re-opened to love or purpose (Groundhog Day).Puzzle — 1% of films. A clue-by-clue puzzle you can try to solve before the reveal (Knives Out, Clue).Investigation — 5% of films. A long pursuit of the truth that may never be fully solved (Zodiac, Memories of Murder).Enigma — 2% of films. The mystery is what is real, or what is actually happening (Mulholland Drive).QuestMission
Every story archetype, clockwise from the top
  • Monster 21%: Predator 6% · Tyrant 6% · Invasion 2% · Oppressive state 2% · Corporate villainy 1% · Institutional injustice 1% · Class system under 1% · Technology turns under 1% · Inner demon 1%
  • Rags 3%: Underdog triumph 2% · Social ascent under 1% · Fame and fortune under 1% · Rise and fall under 1% · Hidden worth revealed under 1%
  • Quest 10% (this title): Treasure hunt 1% · Rescue 4% · Mission 5% (this title) · Journey home under 1% · Pilgrimage 1%
  • Voyage 4%: Portal fantasy under 1% · Fish out of water 2% · Survival ordeal 1% · Time displacement under 1% · Descent 1%
  • Comedy 11%: Romantic comedy 4% · Comedy of errors 3% · Farce 2% · Buddy comedy 1% · Comedy of manners 1%
  • Tragedy 9%: Hubris 1% · Obsession 2% · Corruption arc 2% · Doomed love 2% · Crushed by fate 3%
  • Rebirth 13%: Redemption 3% · Healing 5% · Liberation 2% · Second chance 2%
  • Mystery 7%: Puzzle 1% · Investigation 5% · Enigma 2%
  • No archetype 22%

Quest: A journey toward a defined objective, with companions and obstacles. · Mission: Accomplish or destroy a defined objective (Mission: Impossible).

10% of films fit this archetype

A loose fit — the map only half-holds this one.

Why this archetypePhilippa Langley's quest to find King Richard III's lost remains under a Leicester car park, overcoming skepticism from academics.

What it's about

7 groups · 53 themes
Bonds — 27% of filmsSelf — 22% of filmsPower — 7% of filmsMorality — 16% of filmsSurvival — 15% of filmsSociety — 9% of filmsIdeas — 5% of filmsRomantic love — 15% of filmsMarriage — 2% of filmsFamily bonds — 21% of filmsParenthood — 2% of filmsFriendship — 9% of filmsLoyalty — 4% of filmsIdentity — 14% of filmsComing of age — 5% of filmsAging — under 1% of filmsSelf-worth — 7% of filmsAmbition — 7% of filmsPurpose — 9% of filmsMemory — 3% of filmsObsession — 3% of films. A fixation consumes the protagonist (Black Swan).Power — 2% of filmsCorruption — 3% of filmsGreed — 3% of filmsClass — 3% of filmsOppression — 4% of filmsFreedom — 5% of filmsJustice — 13% of filmsDuty — 2% of filmsRevenge — 4% of filmsGuilt — 3% of filmsRedemption — 6% of films. Moral reawakening of a hardened soul (A Christmas Carol).Forgiveness — 1% of filmsSacrifice — 4% of filmsBetrayal — 5% of filmsDeception — 9% of filmsSurvival — 17% of filmsWar — 1% of filmsViolence — 4% of filmsMortality — 2% of filmsGrief — 6% of filmsTrauma — 7% of filmsMental illness — 1% of filmsAddiction — 1% of filmsIllness and disability — under 1% of filmsCommunity — 14% of films. Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Isolation — 5% of filmsPrejudice — 3% of filmsDisplacement — 1% of filmsFaith — 3% of filmsTradition vs change — 2% of filmsFame — 3% of filmsLegacy — 4% of filmsFate — 1% of filmsFree will — under 1% of filmsTruth — 4% of filmsHope — 5% of filmsNature — 2% of filmsArt — 4% of filmsTechnology — 1% of filmsSelfPurposeSelf
Every theme, clockwise from the top
  • Bonds 27%: Romantic love 15% · Marriage 2% · Family bonds 21% · Parenthood 2% · Friendship 9% · Loyalty 4%
  • Self 22% (this title): Identity 14% · Coming of age 5% · Aging under 1% · Self-worth 7% · Ambition 7% · Purpose 9% (this title) · Memory 3% · Obsession 3%
  • Power 7%: Power 2% · Corruption 3% · Greed 3% · Class 3% · Oppression 4% · Freedom 5%
  • Morality 16%: Justice 13% (this title) · Duty 2% · Revenge 4% · Guilt 3% · Redemption 6% · Forgiveness 1% · Sacrifice 4% · Betrayal 5% · Deception 9%
  • Survival 15%: Survival 17% · War 1% · Violence 4% · Mortality 2% · Grief 6% · Trauma 7% · Mental illness 1% · Addiction 1% · Illness and disability under 1%
  • Society 9%: Community 14% (this title) · Isolation 5% · Prejudice 3% · Displacement 1% · Faith 3% · Tradition vs change 2% · Fame 3% · Legacy 4%
  • Ideas 5%: Fate 1% · Free will under 1% · Truth 4% · Hope 5% · Nature 2% · Art 4% · Technology 1%

Self

Purpose · 9% of filmsJustice · 13% of filmsCommunity · 14% of films: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.
Celebrates its theme: Affirms its theme — this is good and worth having.Community stakes: Consequences reach a town, institution or group.Single lead
How it treats its themePhilippa Langley's relentless search for Richard III gives her life purpose, and the film explores her drive to correct historical injustice and find belonging among those who share her passion.
StanceThe film affirms Langley's personal quest and her impact on historical understanding, celebrating her refusal to be dismissed.

The world

Early 21st centuryUrbanRealistic
Orchestral classicalSupportive music · original score · Alexandre Desplat
Setting2012 Leicester, England, with focus on a carpark excavation and academic circles
MusicThe score likely provides an uplifting and emotional backbone to Langley's journey.

Content guide

Is The Lost King okay for kids?

PG-13

The Lost King is rated PG-13: “Rated PG-13 for some strong language and brief suggestive references” (MPAA). As of August 31, 2026, Midcredits content scores put its violence at mild (20/100), sexual content at mild (19/100), language at moderate (48/100), drug and alcohol content at minimal (13/100) and frightening material at mild (19/100). Its violence, sexual content, drug and alcohol content and frightening material have too few votes to rank.

Ratings in 16 other countries
  • UK12A
  • AustraliaM
  • Germany6
  • FranceTP
  • Ireland12
  • New ZealandM
  • JapanR18+
  • DenmarkA
  • FinlandK-7
  • GreeceK
  • Hong KongIIA
  • Netherlands16
  • Norway9
  • PortugalM/14
  • PRPG-13
  • SwedenBtl
Overall
Mild · all five categories
not ranked
Violence & Gore
Mild
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Sex & Nudity
Mild
too few votes to rank (9 votes)
Profanity
Moderate · audience split: No severity level holds a majority of voters
typical for a PG-13-rated film
heavier than 66%
Alcohol & Drugs
None / Minimal
too few votes to rank (5 votes)
Frightening / Intense
Mild
too few votes to rank (7 votes)

Point along a line to see a well-known title at that level.

Too few votes to rank this title overall (37 votes across 5 categories; ranking needs 10 in at least three).

Source: Midcredits content scores, 0 (none) to 100 (severe) per category, with each standing ranked against other films that have them.

What content warnings does The Lost King have?

Not screened for content warnings yet.

Cast and crew

Who is in The Lost King?

Cast

2 of the cast already had the standing of a top-10% working actor.

Sally Hawkins
as Philippa Langley
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Steve Coogan
as John Langley
Established: A standing when this film came out that a top-10% working actor has today.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
Harry Lloyd
as Richard III
Mark Addy
as Richard Buckley
Veteran: 15 or more years in, with as much work as the typical long-career actor.Top draw: One of the 3 biggest draws in this cast: billing here weighted by career star power.
James Fleet
as John Ashdown-Hill
Lee Ingleby
as Richard Taylor
Benjamin Scanlan
as Raife
Screen debut: No prior film or television role.
Amanda Abbington
as Sarah Levitt
Lewis Macleod
as Tony
Alison Peebles
as Annette
Newcomer: A standing when this film came out that sits in the bottom quarter of working actors today.

Crew

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Movies like The Lost King include Nyad (2023), Florence Foster Jenkins (2016) and Victoria & Abdul (2017). Of the 12 closest matches, two are films written by Jeff Pope, and most are biopics.

Balanced: every group counts the same, and production only breaks ties.

Stephen Frears directed 5 of these 12. Those cards say what else they share.

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What else shares a premise, people or place with The Lost King?

278 other films share the rarest tag below, relationship: otherworldly companion. Each tag opens Browse with the films that share it.