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The Lion in Winter

Play trailer Poster for The Lion in Winter PG 1968 2h 12m History Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist 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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The Lion in Winter

The Lion in Winter

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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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Critics Reviews

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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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review 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. Go to Full Review Josh Larsen LarsenOnFilm Feb 18, 2021
2.5/4
O'Toole's bluster echoes off the walls, leaving no space for anything else. Go to Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Robert P @Superbad Sep 29, 2026 The Lion in Winter = a 4.5 star Movie! See more bruce F @bruce999 Aug 15, 2026 what acting, and words, and music... great movie See more 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.  See more 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. See more 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) See more 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. See more Read all reviews
The Lion in Winter

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Cast & Crew

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Anthony Harvey

Director

Peter O'Toole

Henry II

Katharine Hepburn

Eleanor of Aquitaine

Jane Merrow

Alais

John Castle

Geoffrey

Timothy Dalton

King Philip of France

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The Lion in Winter

The Lion in Winter (1968) The Lion in Winter (1968) View more photos

Movie Info

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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