Skip to content
National Theatre Live: King Lear poster
8.1 / 10(12 votes)IMDb20183h 47mUnited Kingdom

National Theatre Live: King Lear

Synopsis

Considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written, King Lear sees two ageing fathers – one a King, one his courtier – reject the children who truly love them. Their blindness unleashes a tornado of pitiless ambition and treachery, as family and state are plunged into a violent power struggle with bitter ends.

Play Movie

Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes

Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.

King Lear | Official Trailer | National Theatre LiveOfficial

Type: Trailer • Published 2020-07-27

Key Information & Fast Facts

Director
Jonathan Munby, Ross MacGibbon
Screenplay & Story
William Shakespeare
Original Title
National Theatre Live: King Lear
Country of Origin
United Kingdom
Spoken Languages
English
Runtime
3h 47m
Production Studios
National Theatre, Chichester Festival Theatre

Creative Leadership & Key Crew

Director

Jonathan Munby, Ross MacGibbon

Screenplay & Story

William Shakespeare

Department Leadership Roster

Jonathan Munby

Director

Ross MacGibbon

Ross MacGibbon

Director

Official cinematic photography and background stills for National Theatre Live: King Lear.

Featured In Curated Collections

Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring National Theatre Live: King Lear.

Favorite Actors

5727 titles

MNR

17374 titles

National Theatre Live

All productions released by National Theatre Live, UK – either done directly by the Royal National Theatre or other UK venues/producers. [**NationalTheatre.org.uk**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk) / [**NTLive.com**](https://www.ntlive.com) / [**NTatHome.com**](https://www.ntathome.com) (for its US equivalent, see [**BroadwayHD**](https://www.tmdb.org/company/103196-broadwayhd) and site [**BroadwayHD.com**](https://www.broadwayhd.com).) Some productions were filmed _solely_ for their paid streaming channel "National Theatre at Home", and were branded without the "National Theatre Live" posters which those that also screened in cinemas typically got posters with. (plus: There was a 2009 BBC TV series entry titled "National Theatre Live" with the first five filmed productions that featured additional commentary, at #280519, but this was deleted by a mod!) ______________________________________________________________________ • **2024.05.09.Thu: Plays 1-100** - [**nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25**](https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/news/national-theatre-live-100-plays-in-cinemas-1-25) _"National Theatre Live broadcast its 100th title, Nye, live from the Olivier stage. Now buckle up as we’re going to take you on a journey through all 100 NT Lives (you heard that right). From our first to our most recent, join us to recount all the incredible plays that have made it from the stage to the screen – with some fun facts thrown in for good measure!"_ ______________________________________________________________________ **What is National Theatre Live (NTL) & National Theatre at Home (NTaH)?** ([**Wikipedia**](https://w.wiki/9grq)) National Theatre Live is an initiative from the National Theatre (formerly "Royal National Theatre") in London, who record their own plays (and also may do/did some live broadcasts to cinemas too) and other non-National Theatre productions from selected indie/West-End theatre plays in London and beyond in the UK (eg. Chichester, et al.). Unless it's a live cinema viewing, typically once the live theatre run has ended these are then shown in cinemas. NTL cinema audiences are able to view play recordings at cinema screenings in the UK and globally (eg. Australia, Taiwan, et al.), with cinema releases either concurrently (or after an initial cinema release) also released on their paid streaming service National Theatre at Home. NTaH launched in 2020 offering access to over 100 productions, with new titles added monthly. All titles include captions, over 90% available with Audio Description, and a selection available in British Sign Language (BSL). Reaching theatre audiences globally, streaming to over 184 countries, a majority of audiences having never visited the National Theatre's South Bank home, and is supported by Bloomberg Philanthropies. 2026 research showed 99% of NTaH's audiences are outside London, with over 60% saying filmed theatre options support wider discoverability and increased overall theatre experiences.

205 titles

500 best 2018's movies

491 titles

Music & Concerts

995 titles

National Theatre

157 titles

Similar Titles to National Theatre Live: King Lear

Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling

  • 7.4
  • 8.3
  • 7.1
  • 5.8
  • 7.5
  • 7.1
  • 2.9
  • 6.4
  • 8.0
  • 10.0
  • 10.0
  • 7.6
    Anime
  • 8.0
  • 5.8
  • 8.1
  • 8.0
  • 6.4

More Like National Theatre Live: King Lear

Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.

7.5
6.0
7.4
6.7
6.0
7.2
8.0
7.3
5.9
7.1
6.7
7.4

Frequently Asked Questions About National Theatre Live: King Lear

Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.

What is National Theatre Live: King Lear about?

Considered by many to be the greatest tragedy ever written, King Lear sees two ageing fathers – one a King, one his courtier – reject the children who truly love them. Their blindness unleashes a tornado of pitiless ambition and treachery, as family and state are plunged into a violent power struggle with bitter ends.

Who directed National Theatre Live: King Lear?

National Theatre Live: King Lear was directed by Jonathan Munby, Ross MacGibbon.

Who stars in National Theatre Live: King Lear?

The principal cast of National Theatre Live: King Lear includes Ian McKellen, Sinéad Cusack, Danny Webb, Kirsty Bushell, James Corrigan.

When was National Theatre Live: King Lear released and how long is it?

National Theatre Live: King Lear was released in 2018 with a total runtime of 3h 47m.