William Tell: Release date, trailer, cast, and everything we know so far

William Tell is set to premiere in U.S. theaters on April 4, 2025. Written and directed by Nick Hamm, the epic historical action film is an adaptation of Friedrich Schiller's play of the same name. It follows the story of Swiss marksman William Tell, who played a crucial role in the struggle for independence from the Habsburg Empire in the early 14th century.

The film has an official runtime of 2 hours and 41 minutes. As per filmratings, it has been rated R by the MPAA for strong/bloody violence and brief nudity.

The movie reimagines certain elements from the play, including William's marriage to a Muslim woman. While the play showcased William Tell as a reluctant hero forced to fight due to injustice, the movie tries to depict him as a revolutionary leader.

---

William Tell is set to release in US theaters on April 4, 2025

The movie had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 5, 2024, and received an early theatrical release in the UK on January 10, 2025. Samuel Goldwyn Films is set to release the movie in limited theaters across the United States on April 4, 2025.

---

Plot of William Tell

Claes Bang as William Tell in the movie (Image via YouTube/Samuel Goldwyn Films)

Set in the year 1307, the movie begins with Switzerland being controlled by the Austrian royal house of Habsburg. The locals residing in the canton resented the foreign rulers, pushing them towards a rebellion. To pacify them, King Albert assigns a bailiff named Gessler, who begins tormenting the locals.

To cause humiliation to the Swiss, Gessler passes a rule forcing them to bow to erected poles with hats on their tip, in reverence to the king. When William refuses, Gessler arrests him and makes him shoot an apple off his son's head for his cruel amusement. His constant tormenting of the people finally convinces Rudenz of Attinghausen to unite the leaders of the canton and fight back.

Eventually, the rebellion wins the war as the Habsburg relief force refuses to join Gessler and his soldiers after learning about their king's death. William decides not to kill Gessler as he spares him upon his son's request. King Albert's niece Bertha reunites with him three days later to warn him that the king's daughter, Agnes, has sworn revenge against them.

---

William Tell trailer analysis

The official trailer for William Tell was released on February 19, 2025, on the official YouTube channel of Samuel Goldwyn Films and is also available on their website. The trailer gives a glimpse into the story of William standing up for his country against the Austrians.

In the 14th century, King Albert, under the influence of greed, sent his army to capture Switzerland to acquire more land for the Habsburg Empire. After the invasion, a bailiff named Gessler started tormenting the people in the canton under the king's orders.

The trailer cuts to William riling up his men after facing several ordeals because of the bailiff. The clip ends with an epic war scene between the people of Switzerland and the Austrian army. It also teases a popular scene from the play of William being made to shoot an apple at the top of his son's head.

---

Cast for the movie

Directed, written, and produced by Nick Hamm, William Tell was distributed by Altitude Film Distribution in the UK and by Samuel Goldwyn Films in the US. The cast is led by Claes Bang, who portrays the titular character, with Eanna Hardwicke playing his younger version. Golshifteh Farahani stars as Suna, his wife, whom he met in Palestine, while Tobias Jowett stars as Walter, his son.

Other cast members include Connor Swindells as Gessler, Ellie Bamber as Bertha, Ben Kingsley as King Albert, and Jess Douglas-Welsh as Queen Agnes.

---

Stay tuned with us for further updates.