All Hail the Kingis a 2014 Americandirect-to-videoshort filmfeaturing theMarvel Cinematic Universe(MCU) characterTrevor Slattery,produced byMarvel Studiosand distributed byWalt Disney Studios Home Entertainment.It is a follow-up andspin-offofIron Man 3(2013), and is the fifthMarvel One-Shotshort film set in the MCU, sharing continuity withthe films of the franchise.The film is written and directed byDrew Pearce,and starsBen Kingsleyas Slattery, alongsideScoot McNairy,Lester Speight,andSam Rockwell.InAll Hail the King,a documentary filmmaker (McNairy) interviews the infamous fake terrorist Trevor Slattery while in jail.
| All Hail the King | |
|---|---|
 Release poster | |
| Directed by | Drew Pearce |
| Screenplay by | Drew Pearce |
| Based on | Marvel Comics |
| Produced by | Kevin Feige |
| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Michael Bonvillain |
| Edited by | Dan Lebental |
| Music by | Brian Tyler |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 14 minutes |
| Country | United States |
| Language | English |
Development for a One-Shot centered on Slattery began during production ofIron Man 3,with Pearce eventually conceiving an idea contingent on Kingsley willing to reprising his role fromIron Man 3,who was enthused to do so after reading the script. Filming occurred in Los Angeles over three days, with Pearce later flying to Canada to film Rockwell's cameo asJustin Hammer,reprising the role fromIron Man 2(2010).
All Hail the Kingwas released digitally and on the home media release ofThor: The Dark World(2013) in February 2014 and was positively received. The story of Slattery, the Mandarin, and the Ten Rings is continued in the filmShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings(2021).
Plot
editTrevor Slattery,an inmate atSeagate Prison,[a]is living with his own personal "butler" Herman, and other inmates acting as his fan club and protection. Slattery is interviewed by documentary filmmakerJackson Norriss,who wishes to chronicle the events of theMandarinsituation.[b]Norriss, trying to learn more about Slattery personally, recounts his past from his first casting as a child as well as his starring in the failedCBSpilotCaged Heat.Norriss eventually informs Slattery that his portrayal has angered some people, including the actualTen Ringsterrorist group, which Slattery did not know existed. Norriss tells him the history of the Mandarin and the terrorist group, before revealing that he is actually a member of the group. He then pulls out a gun and kills the guards and Herman before telling Slattery the real reason for the interview is to break him out of prison so he can meet the actualleader of the Ten Rings.Hearing this, Slattery still has no idea of the full ramifications of his posing as the Mandarin.
Cast
edit- Ben KingsleyasTrevor Slattery:An inmate at Seagate prison who is the subject of a documentary by Jackson Norriss. Kingsley reprises the role fromIron Man 3.[1]
- Scoot McNairyasJackson Norriss:
A member of theTen Ringsterrorist organization posing as a documentary filmmaker.[2]In the comics the character's name is spelled "Norris",[3]while a video released as part of aviral marketingcampaign forCaptain America: Civil Warin May 2016 revealed that a separate character named Jackson Norris in fact exists elsewhere in the MCU.[4][5] - Lester Speightas Herman:[2]Slattery's butler and protector in Seagate.
- Sam RockwellasJustin Hammer:An inmate at Seagate prison, who was a weapons manufacturer. Rockwell reprises his role fromIron Man 2(2010).[6]
Additionally,Matt Geraldportrays White Power Dave;[7]Crystal the Monkeyportrays the bar monkey;[2]andAllen Maldonadoportrays Fletcher Heggs,[8]who has a tattoo of a chess piece on his face as a nod to the comics, where he is a minor character going by "Knight".[3]
Production
editDevelopment and writing
edit
Drew Pearce,the co-screenwriter ofIron Man 3,and producer Stephen Broussard had the idea for the shortAll Hail the Kingduring the production ofIron Man 3,to provide "a fresh take" on the Mandarin character.[9][10]Marvel Studiosand consultantJoss Whedonwere positive about the short, reliant onBen Kingsley's involvement.[3]Kingsley was on board after reading the script, with Pearce believing he wanted to return because he enjoyed portraying Slattery.[11]In October 2013, Kingsley said he was working on a secret project with Marvel involving "many members of the crew that were involved inIron Man 3."[12]This was later revealed to be the short, written and directed by Pearce.[1]Iron Man 3originally had Slattery dying in the film, so the One-Shot would have been a prequel exploring part of his past life. During the editing ofIron Man 3,when it was changed to have Slattery live, Pearce was less enthused about the short being a prequel since they "inevitably lack a sense of drama" and felt continuing Slattery's journey after the events of the film was "more exciting" since "you don't know what's going to happen".[10]
Iron Man 3directorShane Blackfelt Marvel "saw so many negative things" surrounding the Mandarin's portrayal, that the short was created as "an apology to fans who were so angry".[13]Though some of the dialogue is written in response to critics ofIron Man 3's Mandarin portrayal, the story was written simply as an extension of the Ten Rings and Mandarin storyline featured throughout theIron Manfilms. Pearce wrote the short to be ambiguous enough that the storyline could be further explored in future films or television series. On the Ten Rings, Pearce stated that he found the group to be a "very powerful" part of the MCU due to their introduction in the universe's first film, and noted that producerKevin Feigewas excited to see a member of the organization be "genuinely vicious". Because of this, Pearce worked to make the action in the short "real and brutal" to juxtapose the more comedic tone leading up to it, which he felt would increase the humor of Kingsley's Slattery anyway given that the character "does not respond to anything the same way any other right minded human being" should.[3]Speaking about addingeaster eggsand nods to the comics, Pearce noted that him adding them to the script did not necessarily mean that they were a part of Marvel's bigger plan for the MCU, and said that he enjoyed "stuff[ing] it full of MCU" and waiting to see if "some of it sticks and some of it remains just a kind of charming nod."[3]The nameCaged Heatwas previously used by Marvel as theworking titleforIron Man 3.[14]
Filming and post-production
edit| External videos | |
|---|---|
 All Hail the King Titlepresents the short film's main-on-end title sequence,YouTubevideo fromPerception's channel |
All Hail the Kingwas filmed over three days in Los Angeles,[10][11]including at a "disused women's prison" in the east side of Los Angeles. Pearce believed the production was "unbelievably lucky" to align their shooting schedule with Kingsley's, who had been working on a number of different projects. Two production units were utilized in order to capture the footage for the main short and theCaged Heatmaterial.[10]Both Marvel andSam Rockwellwere "on board" for a cameo appearance, but Rockwell was unable to do it due to working onPoltergeist(2015). However, during post-production of that film, Rockwell read the script for the short and called Pearce, saying that he was happy to participate if his scenes could be shot in Toronto during one of his breaks. Pearce went to Canada, and filmed Rockwell on a set that was painted to match the Los Angeles shoot, saying "Rockwell came in and just nailed it".[15]
Music for the short was composed byBrian Tyler,with theCaged Heatscenes composed by 1980s TV-music iconMike Post.[2]The main-on-endtitle sequence,which was created byPerception,was inspired byDr. No,Charade,andIron Monkey,as well as otherkung fuexploitation films.[16]
Release
editAll Hail the Kingwas released on the digital download release ofThor: The Dark Worldon February 4, 2014, and on February 25 for the Blu-ray release.[17]It was included on the bonus-disc of the "Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection"box set,which includes all of thePhase Twofilms in the Marvel Cinematic Universe as well as the otherMarvel One-Shots.The collection features audio commentary by Pearce and Kingsley, and was released on December 8, 2015.[18]All Hail the Kingwas made available onDisney+on August 27, 2021, ahead of the release ofShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringswhich introduces the actualleader of the Ten Rings.[19]
Reception
editIGN's Cliff Wheatley gaveAll Hail the Kinga 9.4 out of 10. He said that it's "a return to the loveable personality of the hapless Trevor and a step forward for the larger Marvel Cinematic Universe. It has its twists that should satisfy both lovers and haters of Trevor Slattery. But it's the approach that Pearce takes with the material, from the kung-fu movie style credit sequences to the light-hearted tone that takes a sudden and jarring turn. Kingsley once again shines in the role of Slattery, aloof and ignorant, but more than happy to slide back into Mandarin mode if it will please his adoring fans. Pearce does go for some of the same jokes fromIron Man 3in a sort of referential way, but it's nothing too damaging. "[20]
Devin Faraci ofBirth.Movies.Deathcalled it "another excellent short film from the folks at Marvel Studios", which he felt deserved to be shown in theaters rather than just released on home media. He felt that the character of Slattery "was used the perfect amount inIron Man Three,and giving him more screen time here, in a side project, feels the right way to return to him. Kingsley is having a blast, delivering plenty of wonderful jokes and sinking right into the clueless, egocentric character who represents all of our worst stereotypes of actors. "Faraci praised theCaged Heatsequence, as well as Rockwell's cameo, and positively stated on the Mandarin reveal, "rather than a retcon this feels like an expansion, a pulling back of the curtain to reveal more of the picture."[21]Conversely, Andrew Wheeler ofComicsAlliancecriticized the short's presentation of homosexuality, given it was Marvel Studios' first attempt to bringLGBTconcepts into the MCU.[6]Brennan Klein atScreen Rantcalled it "a purely comic short that plays like a sketch fromSaturday Night Live".[19]
Future
editThe filmShang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Ringsexplores plot elements from the One-Shot, such as the reveal of the actual leader of the Ten Rings, Wenwu,[22]with Kingsley reprising his role as Slattery in the film.[23]Shang-ChidirectorDestin Daniel Crettonsaid they wanted "to be true to" the One-Shot in the film, adding that "including that storyline in this movie I think was not only just really fun, I think it's essential to hear [Slattery] admit how ridiculous that whole situation was".[22]
Notes
edit- ^Following his arrest at the end ofIron Man 3(2013).
- ^As depicted inIron Man 3.
References
edit- ^abBreznican, Anthony (January 9, 2014)."Marvel One-Shot: First Look at Ben Kingsley's Mandarin encore in 'All Hail the King' short film – Exclusive".Entertainment Weekly.Archivedfrom the original on January 10, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 9,2014.
- ^abcdeGallagher, Brian (February 25, 2014)."Marvel Previews 'Marvel One-Shot: All Hail the King'".MovieWeb.Archivedfrom the original on April 20, 2014.RetrievedApril 19,2014.
- ^abcdeKeyes, Rob (February 27, 2014)."Drew Pearce Talks 'All Hail The King', Runaways, The Real Mandarin & Marvel Future".Screen Rant.Archivedfrom the original on February 27, 2014.RetrievedOctober 26,2015.
- ^WHIH World News (May 3, 2016).WHIH Breaking News: Attack in Lagos.RetrievedMay 4,2016– viaYouTube.
- ^"Watch: Captain America: Civil War" Attack In Lagos "Viral Clip".Cosmic Book News. May 3, 2016.Archivedfrom the original on May 6, 2016.RetrievedMay 3,2016.
- ^abWheeler, Andrew (March 28, 2014)."Gay Punchlines, LGBT Visibility and Marvel Studios' One-Shot 'All Hail The King'".ComicsAlliance.Archived fromthe originalon July 1, 2014.RetrievedJuly 8,2014.
- ^Han, Angie (April 7, 2014)."'Ant-Man' Finds a Villain in Marvel One-Shot Actor Matt Gerald "./Film.Archivedfrom the original on September 8, 2015.RetrievedMay 21,2015.
- ^Lussier, Germain (February 17, 2014)."Latest 'All Hail The King' Clip Features Easter Egg Teasing New Marvel Villain"./Film.Archivedfrom the original on September 10, 2015.RetrievedMay 21,2015.
- ^Marvel Studios: Assembling a Universe.Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: The Complete First SeasonHome media, bonus material: ABC Home Entertainment. 2014.
- ^abcdGoldberg, Matt (February 8, 2014)."Drew Pearce Talks about His Marvel One-Shot All Hail the King, Working with Marvel, No Heroics, the Runaways Movie, and More".Collider.Archivedfrom the original on January 5, 2020.RetrievedSeptember 1,2021.
- ^abRisley, Matt (February 6, 2014)."All Hail The King: Drew Pearce Interview".Total Film.Archivedfrom the original on April 29, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 1,2021.
- ^"Kingsley for 'secret' Marvel job".Belfast Telegraph.October 22, 2013.Archivedfrom the original on May 2, 2014.RetrievedOctober 22,2013.
- ^Ryan, Mike (May 16, 2016)."Shane Black On 'The Nice Guys,' Mel Gibson, And Why A Female 'Iron Man 3' Villain's Gender Changed".Uproxx.Archivedfrom the original on September 28, 2018.RetrievedSeptember 28,2018.
- ^Foss, Cassie (April 12, 2012)."Casting calls set up for 'Caged Heat' film".Star-News.Wilmington, North Carolina.Archivedfrom the original on May 26, 2013.RetrievedSeptember 3,2012.
- ^Plumb, Ali (February 24, 2014)."Drew Pearce on Making Marvel One-Shot All Hail The King".Empire.Archived fromthe originalon February 28, 2014.RetrievedFebruary 25,2014.
- ^"Greasepaint Case Study".Perception.Archived fromthe originalon December 4, 2014.RetrievedNovember 27,2012.
- ^Venable, Nick (January 2, 2014)."Thor: The Dark World Hammers Home A Packed Blu-ray Set This February".CinemaBlend.Archivedfrom the original on January 5, 2014.RetrievedJanuary 4,2014.
- ^Goldberg, Matt (October 23, 2015)."'Marvel Cinematic Universe: Phase Two Collection' Unveiled; Contains First Look at Phase 3 ".Collider.Archivedfrom the original on October 24, 2015.RetrievedOctober 23,2015.
- ^abKlein, Brennan (August 27, 2021)."Marvel's Mandarin One-Shot Added to Disney+ Ahead of Shang-Chi Release".Screen Rant.Archivedfrom the original on August 27, 2021.RetrievedAugust 27,2021.
- ^Wheatley, Cliff (February 24, 2014).""You'll... never..." and so on ".IGN.Archivedfrom the original on March 2, 2014.RetrievedFebruary 25,2014.
- ^Faraci, Devin (February 5, 2014)."MARVEL ONE SHOT: ALL HAIL THE KING Is Great".Birth.Movies.Death.Archivedfrom the original on March 14, 2016.RetrievedMarch 14,2016.
- ^abRyan, Mike (August 30, 2021)."'Shang-Chi' Director Destin Daniel Cretton Deserves His Victory Lap After What It Took To Make This Marvel Movie ".Uproxx.Archivedfrom the original on August 31, 2021.RetrievedSeptember 2,2021.
- ^Boone, John (August 17, 2021)."Sir Ben Kingsley Confirms His MCU Return in 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings'".Entertainment Tonight.Archivedfrom the original on August 18, 2021.RetrievedAugust 18,2021.
