Chris Pine looks rugged in still for Netflix’s Outlaw King

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Netflix has released an enticing sneak peek at Outlaw King, the reunion between Hell or High Water duo Chris Pine and David Mackenzie.

Over the course of his career, Chris Pine has undergone many incarnations. He vaulted from the heartthrob of fluffy romances like The Princess Diaries 2: Royal Engagement and Just My Luck to an action hero in Star Trek and Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Along the way, he even showed off his singing skills (Into the Woods). However, it was Hell or High Water that truly made good on his potential. As the more levelheaded half of a brotherly bank-robbing duo, Pine shook off his movie-star braggadocio, displaying heretofore unseen maturity and sensitivity.

Naturally, for his next incarnation, the actor reunites with his Hell or High Water director, David Mackenzie. In Outlaw King, Pine stars as Robert the Bruce, the renowned ruler who led Scotland to victory in a war for independence against England.

To be sure, the Scottish highlands are a long way from the deserts of West Texas. It’s hard to imagine Pine, whose persona rests in part on his quintessentially American charm, pulling off the requisite brogue. He has surprised us before, though. And at the very least, he looks the part. This morning, Netflix released the first official image from Outlaw King, along with a detailed press release. You can see the image below:

So, how do you feel about the beard? My immediate reaction was a mixture of repulsion and confusion. But something tells me I’ll warm up to it soon enough.

As if you need another reason to get excited, Pine is hardly the only noteworthy actor involved. Fresh off her fearsome performance in the stormy period piece Lady Macbeth, Florence Pugh plays Robert’s wife, and we have no doubt that she’ll elevate the role above that description. The cast also includes Stephen Dillane (aka the late Stannis Baratheon on Game of Thrones); Billy Howle (one of Dunkirk’s countless young men, now receiving good notices at the Toronto Film Festival for On Chesil Beach); and Aaron Taylor-Johnson (who has yet to win me over, though he’s fine in supporting roles).

Mackenzie’s involvement is equally intriguing. The Scottish director boasts a varied resume that ranges from moody noir (2003’s Young Adam) to Ashton Kutcher-starring sex comedy (2009’s Spread) to apocalyptic romance (2011’s underrated Perfect Sense) to gritty prison drama (2013’s underseen Starred Up). His disciplined approach to Hell or High Water contributed as much to that film’s effectiveness as Taylor Sheridan’s vibrant script. Medieval epic represents yet another left turn for him, and I can’t wait to see how he navigates it.

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Outlaw King is scheduled for release sometime in 2018.