He Will Rock You He didn’t make the rules. He was born to break them.

After his master dies, a peasant squire, fueled by his desire for food and glory, creates a new identity for himself as a knight.

A Knight’s Tale is a 2001 American quasi-medieval adventure comedy–romance film. It was written, produced, and directed by Brian Helgeland; it stars Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, Rufus Sewell, Laura Fraser, Paul Bettany (as Geoffrey Chaucer), and James Purefoy (as Sir Thomas Colville / Edward the Black Prince).

The story is presented in an anachronistic style, with many modern references and background music. It follows a peasant named William Thatcher, a squire who poses as a knight and competes in tournaments, winning accolades and acquiring friendships with such historical figures as Edward the Black Prince and Geoffrey Chaucer.

The film takes its name from Chaucer’s “The Knight’s Tale” in his The Canterbury Tales, but the two plots are un-related. It received mixed reviews, and grossed $117.5 million against a budget of $65 million.