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Ironclad

Ironclad: A film about the battle for Rochester Castle

The feature film, Ironclad, travels back to 1215 to depict the battle for Rochester Castle in a story of honour, action and excitement. You can visit Rochester Castle to see the castle as it stands today and watch the Ironclad trailer on You Tube.

Image of Ironclad filmEngland in the 13th century

Travelling back to the dark, brutal past of 13-century England, Ironclad plunges us headlong into one of the most violent, pivotal moments in English medieval history - when a few good men fought against insurmountable odds to defend their country from a megalomaniac, blood-drunk king. Torn from the pages of history, the devastating battle for the castle of Rochester is a true story of honour, action and excitement. There will be blood.

Plot

The year is 1215. King John (Paul Giamatti) has been forced to sign the Magna Carta, a document that will ensure the freedom of men and form the basis of common law in England. Furious at having been forced to sign it, King John raises a vicious mercenary army and begins a rampage across the country to regain total power. But as the King’s army is on the brink of reaching London and taking back control of the country, one last castle stands between him and inevitable victory: Rochester.

Gathered together by Baron Albany,a small band of rebel warriors gather inside Rochester intent on holding off King John until reinforcements arrive:  a Templar Knight whose soul is wracked with guilt over the atrocities he has committed during the crusades and his burgeoning feelings for Isabel, the beautiful lady of the castle and lonely wife of the aging Reginald de Cornhill;  battle-hardened mercenaries such as Beckett , who fight not for God and country, but for money and bloodlust; and young soldiers like Guy, who’ll taste blood and battle for the first time – and perhaps the last.

Cast

The film stars Paul Giamatti (Sideways, Shoot ‘Em Up), James Purefoy (Vanity Fair, Rome), Jason Flemyng (Upcoming X Men: First Class, Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels), Brian Cox (The Bourne Identity, Braveheart) Mackenzie Crook (Upcoming Adventures of Tintin, Pirates of the Caribbean), Derek Jacobi (The King’s Speech, Gladiator), Charles Dance (Gosford Park), Kate Mara (127 Hours, Iron Man 2) and introducing Aneurin Barnard. 

Director

Ironclad marks the third feature as director of Jonathan English, from a script written by himself, Erick Kastel and Stephen McDool. The producers are Rick Benattar (Shoot ‘Em Up), Andrew Curtis (Lost in La Mancha) and Jonathan English, who have assembled a high-impact team including director of photography David Eggby (Mad Max, Pitch Black), editor Peter Amundson (Hellboy, Gamer), production designer Joseph C Nemec III (Terminator II: Judgement Day, The Hills Have Eyes) and costume designer Beatrix Aruna Pasztor (The Brothers Bloom). 

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For more information contact us by telephone: 01634 338106 or by email: sarah.belsom@medway.gov.uk

Write to: Medway Council, Gun Wharf, Dock Road, Chatham, Kent ME4 4TR

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