Andrew Garfield hopes new historical action epic The Uprising leaves billionaires "scared shitless." Get plot details, release dates, and cast info!
Academy Award nominee Andrew Garfield (Spider-Man: No Way Home, Hacksaw Ridge) has offered a fierce, unapologetic commentary on his upcoming historical action drama The Uprising. Helmed by Oscar-nominated director Paul Greengrass (The Bourne Supremacy, Captain Phillips) and produced by Focus Features alongside Blumhouse, the gritty medieval epic brings the brutal 1381 Peasants' Revolt against King Richard II to the big screen.
The film arrives in cinemas on September 10, 2026, delivering an explosive tale of class warfare, systemic abuse, and bloody rebellion that the filmmakers insist mirrors modern global inequality.
What Is The Uprising About and Who Does Andrew Garfield Play?
Set against the bloody aftermath of the Black Plague in 14th-century England, The Uprising chronicles the true historical events that inspired the timeless folk legend of Robin Hood.
- The Voice of the Rebellion: Garfield stars as Wat Tyler (referred to in production notes as "Ploughman"), an ordinary farmer who rallies a formidable army of thousands of working-class commoners to march on London.
- Fighting Royal Tyranny: The plot centers on the commoners taking up arms against the despotic, teenage King Richard II (played by Woody Norman) and his wealthy oligarchs following the imposition of ruthless post-plague taxation.
- A Stellar Supporting Ensemble: The action thriller features an elite British cast including Thomasin McKenzie, Jamie Bell, Stephen Dillane, Tom Hollander, Cosmo Jarvis, Jonny Lee Miller, and Katherine Waterston.
Why Does Andrew Garfield Hope The Uprising Scares Billionaires?
Speaking at a recent special Q&A event alongside director Paul Greengrass, Garfield addressed the core themes of justice, power abuse, and modern parallels woven throughout the narrative.
- Reckoning for the Elite: "First, I hope they come and see it," Garfield stated regarding moviegoers. "I hope it's galvanizing. I hope there's some awakening that people feel, that we all feel like our own struggles are being reflected in the struggles of these characters from a distant time and place. And I hope that if any billionaires watch it, they're scared shitless."
- Healing "Soul-Sick" Wealth: Quoting a key line from the script, "There will be no peace until we are healed," Greengrass noted the sentiment remains as true today as it was 600 years ago. Garfield expanded on the thought, adding, "I'm going to include the billionaires in that as well, because they're the ones that might be the most soul-sick. They're the ones that might need the healing the most in a way."
- Modern Parallels: Speaking previously about the post-plague period's incompetent government and abusive taxation, Garfield noted that the brutal conditions working-class people faced back then closely mirror contemporary struggles in the United States and across the world today.
Moviegoers can experience the visceral medieval action when The Uprising debuts exclusively in theaters.