Kings of the Sun
“Now a lost world becomes a new world of adventure!”
Synopsis
In order to flee from powerful enemies, young Mayan king Balam leads his people north across the Gulf of Mexico to the coast of what will become the United States. They build a home in the new land but come into conflict with a tribe of Native Americans led by their chief, Black Eagle, while both Balam and Black Eagle fall in love the beautiful Mayan princess Ixchel.
Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Kings of the Sun (1963) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HD 1080p]
Type: Trailer • Published 2018-06-22
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →
Yul Brynner
Chief Black Eagle
George Chakiris
Balam
Shirley Anne Field
Ixchel
Richard Basehart
Ah Min
Brad Dexter
Ah Haleb
Barry Morse
Ah Zok
Armando Silvestre
Isatai
Leo Gordon
Hunac Ceel
Victoria Vetri
Ixzubin
Rudy Solari
Pitz
Ford Rainey
The chief
James Coburn
Narrator (uncredited)
Chuck Hayward
Indian Warrior Friend to Black Eagle (uncredited)
Release History & Theatrical Window
December 18, 1963
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$4M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
Pending
Total global ticket sales
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- J. Lee Thompson
- Screenplay & Story
- Elliott Arnold, James R. Webb
- Original Score
- Elmer Bernstein
- Original Title
- Kings of the Sun
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 48m
- Production Budget
- $4M
- Production Studios
- The Mirisch Company, United Artists
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
J. Lee Thompson
Elliott Arnold, James R. Webb
Elmer Bernstein
Joseph MacDonald
William Reynolds
Lewis J. Rachmil, Sandy Whitelaw
Department Leadership Roster
J. Lee Thompson
Director
Norma Koch
Costume Design
Lewis J. Rachmil
Producer
Elliott Arnold
Screenplay
James R. Webb
Screenplay
Sandy Whitelaw
Producer
Joseph MacDonald
Director of Photography
Elmer Bernstein
Original Music Composer
William Reynolds
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.
Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Kings of the Sun.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Kings of the Sun.
Medieval
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
All BluRay Movies EVER
desc
Cult Classics
Every film on Wikipedia's List of cult films.
MGM+ US - History Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on MGM+ (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
MGM+ US - Adventure Movies
Curated list of Most Popular on MGM+ (US). Updated frequently. Last updated August 28, 2026.
Missing Mine
Similar Titles to Kings of the Sun
Movies sharing stylistic DNA, tone, and thematic storytelling
7.2
5.7
6.3
7.0
6.9
6.3
7.2
6.3
7.3
7.2
6.1
6.1
6.8
6.3
5.9
6.3
6.7
6.6
6.6
7.7
More Like Kings of the Sun
Recommended titles matching themes, cast, and genres.
Frequently Asked Questions About Kings of the Sun
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Kings of the Sun about?
In order to flee from powerful enemies, young Mayan king Balam leads his people north across the Gulf of Mexico to the coast of what will become the United States. They build a home in the new land but come into conflict with a tribe of Native Americans led by their chief, Black Eagle, while both Balam and Black Eagle fall in love the beautiful Mayan princess Ixchel.
Who directed Kings of the Sun?
Kings of the Sun was directed by J. Lee Thompson.
Who stars in Kings of the Sun?
The principal cast of Kings of the Sun includes Yul Brynner, George Chakiris, Shirley Anne Field, Richard Basehart, Brad Dexter.
When was Kings of the Sun released and how long is it?
Kings of the Sun was released in 1963 with a total runtime of 1h 48m.
Who composed the musical score for Kings of the Sun?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Kings of the Sun was composed by Elmer Bernstein.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Kings of the Sun?
Kings of the Sun holds official age classifications: DE: 12 (FSK 12 — Restricted to viewers aged 12 and older.); GB: PG (Parental Guidance — Unlikely to upset children 8 and older.).