5 Surprising Cinematic Universes (And 5 Which Never Got Off The Ground)

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword opened in 2017 to lukewarm reviews, and the film ultimately performed very poorly at the box-office, reportedly costing Warner Bros. and Village Roadshow Pictures around $150 million.

Guy Ritchie's action-packed adaptation of the Arthurian Legend starred Charlie Hunnam in the titular role, and focused on Arthur's attempts to defeat King Vortigern (Jude Law).

Set up to be the first film in a proposed six-part series, the movie was criticized for its awkward pacing, rushed characterisation, and underwhelming world-building. Some critics even noted that the film would have been stronger as a standalone venture as opposed to the first part of (an eventually abandoned) franchise.

Owing to these commercial and critical failures, all plans for the ambitious franchise were quickly dropped. This proposed shared universe would have included a series of origin stories focusing on individual characters such as Merlin and Lancelot. While, on the surface, that is certainly an intriguing premise, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword stopped this cinematic universe dead in its tracks.