The Uprising: Andrew Garfield stars in Paul Greengrass's medieval epic

The historical drama ‘The Uprising’, directed by Paul Greengrass and released by Focus Features, depicts the 1381 English Peasants’ Revolt. Starring Andrew Garfield as a grieving farmer known as Ploughman, the film explores a period of intense social unrest driven by the Black Death, heavy taxation, and corruption under King Richard II.

Critical reception for the film has been mixed. While some reviewers praise Garfield’s committed performance and Greengrass’s visceral, immersive filmmaking style, others note that the movie occasionally shifts toward mythology, which can undercut its historical grit. The film has also sparked debate regarding its perceived modern relevance, particularly a ‘no kings’ decree written by Greengrass in 2020 that some critics have interpreted through a contemporary political lens.

The production had a complex development history, originally conceived under different titles and with different lead actors before Garfield joined the project.