The Lion in Winter

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The Lion in Winter

PG

1968

2h 12m

History

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

91%

Tomatometer

45 Reviews

90%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

It's Christmas 1183, and King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) is planning to announce his successor to the throne. The jockeying for the crown, though, is complex. Henry has three sons and wants his boy Prince John (Nigel Terry) to take over. Henry's wife, Queen Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), has other ideas. She believes their son Prince Richard (Anthony Hopkins) should be king. As the family and various schemers gather for the holiday, each tries to make the indecisive king choose their option.

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Critics Consensus

Sharper and wittier than your average period piece, The Lion in Winter is a tale of palace intrigue bolstered by fantastic performances from Peter O'Toole, Katharine Hepburn, and Anthony Hopkins in his big-screen debut.

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Kevin Maher

The Times (UK)

Feb 21, 2025

5/5

Anthony Harvey’s star-studded inheritance drama about the Angevin Empire of Henry II (Peter O’Toole) and the three unsuitable sons who crave it is the original Succession.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Mar 14, 2024

4/4

There’s lots of double-dealing, a bit of back-stabbing, and a whole lot of familial dirty laundry strewn out on the table for all to see. All-in-all, it’s gloriously entertaining.

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Ben Kern

Minneapolis Star Tribune

Mar 2, 2022

I think all concerned in The Lion in Winter deserve Academy Awards for strangeness. They achieve a measure of believability in the face of it.

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Mike Massie

Gone With The Twins

Mar 31, 2023

8/10

The scripting is superb – a masterfully caustic examination of medieval politics and familial rebellion.

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

Aug 30, 2021

3.5/4

Plenty of swords and knives make appearances in The Lion in Winter, but none can possibly cut as deep as the caustic dialogue.

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Josh Larsen

LarsenOnFilm

Feb 18, 2021

2.5/4

O'Toole's bluster echoes off the walls, leaving no space for anything else.

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bruce F

@bruce999 Aug 15, 2026

what acting, and words, and music... great movie

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KarthiK P.

@madkarthi Aug 14, 2026

It is an amazing piece of work from director Anthony Harvey. The classic. old period atmosphere really pulls me in and sets the tone right from the start. At its core. it unfolds like a quintessential family drama and it is portrayed exceptionally well. The complex dynamic between the characters constantly fighting. scheming. and clashing against one another while still sharing that underlying bond is handled brilliantly on screen. The remastered 4K Bluray presentation looks really nice. The visual quality holds up great and the disc comes packed with amazing interview extras and bonus material that make it a fantastic release.

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David B.

@Baros1962 Apr 8, 2026

Great film with a superb cast. I first saw this in high school when I was a freshman. And I’ve seen this many times since then.

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Kyle M

@RT77296778 Jan 6, 2026

Exquisitely designed medieval period feat that functionally expresses dysfunctional family drama and bitter conflicts upon the holiday gatherings with minimal resonating value besides engaging with the ensemble cast’s captivating showcases between Hopkins at his debut, Hepburn’s award-winning performance and O’Toole’s attempt to enable character study onto his nuanced portrayal. (B)

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Jelisije J

@jjosifovic Jun 13, 2025

A classic movie masterpiece with great acting and great storytelling.......I just wish the ending would have been handled better because I felt their was so much more of a story yet to tell and thats surprising coming a movie over 2 hours.

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Tim M

@tgmacman May 27, 2025

Featuring an all-around acting clinic, particularly from Peter O'Toole and Katharine Hepburn, The Lion in Winter lives up to the magnitude of its historical figures with gravitas and depth.

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Synopsis

It's Christmas 1183, and King Henry II (Peter O'Toole) is planning to announce his successor to the throne. The jockeying for the crown, though, is complex. Henry has three sons and wants his boy Prince John (Nigel Terry) to take over. Henry's wife, Queen Eleanor (Katharine Hepburn), has other ideas. She believes their son Prince Richard (Anthony Hopkins) should be king. As the family and various schemers gather for the holiday, each tries to make the indecisive king choose their option.

Director: Anthony Harvey
Producer: Martin Poll
Screenwriter: James Goldman
Distributor: Embassy Pictures, Nelson Entertainment [us], Image Entertainment Inc., MGM/UA Home Entertainment Inc.
Production Co: AVCO Embassy Pictures
Rating: PG
Genre: History, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Oct 30, 1968, Original
Rerelease Date (Theaters): Dec 16, 2016
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 4, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $17.9K
Runtime: 2h 12m
Sound Mix: Magnetic Stereo 6 Track, Mono
Aspect Ratio: 35mm, Scope (2.35:1)

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