In the Middle Ages, before television or professional sports, there's only one form of competition to separate the men from the boys--jousting tournaments. William Thatcher (Heath Ledger), a poor and humble squire, has always dreamed of proving himself worthy as a knight in a jousting match. When he gets a lucky chance--seeing an opportunity to disguise himself in the identity of a knight--William decides to maintain the illusion for as long as possible. He is aided by his friends Wat (Alan Tudyk), Roland (Mark Addy), and Geoffrey Chaucer (Paul Bettany, in a role loosely based on the real storyteller)--a writer with a knack for forging official papers. Under his new title, Sir Ulrich of Liechtenstein, William wins tournaments and receives monetary awards. However, the only way for William to prove himself as truly noble--and win the heart of the beautiful Jocelyn (Shannyn Sossamon)--is to beat out all of his enemies, including the arrogant and undefeated Count Adhemar (Rufus Sewell), in a series of jousts. Writer-director Brian Helgeland creates a unique blend of rousing adventure, comedy, and modern sensibility in A KNIGHT'S TALE, giving a contemporary make-over to the medieval genre with a soundtrack that includes hit songs from Queen, David Bowie, Sly & the Family Stone, and Thin Lizzy.
Loosely inspired by Geoffrey Chaucer's 'The Canterbury Tales' and set in the 14th Century this is the story of William Thatcher, a peasant squire, who has a real talent for jousting. During this time only Knights of noble birth are eligible to joust and so William enlists the help of his three friends Wat, Roland and Geoffrey to adopt a false identity and compete in high level competitions.