Jude Law and Alicia Vikander in "Firebrand."
Firebrand—Jude Law and Alicia Vikander’s movie about Henry VIII’s demise—is coming soon to digital streaming.
Released in select theaters on June 14, Firebrand recounts the seldom-told historical tale about how Katherine Parr (Vikander)—the sixth and final wife of Henry VIII (Law)—struggled to survive the king of Tudor England’s wildly unpredictable behavior as infection from leg ulcers began to affect his already cruel mind.
At the same time, Queen Katherine is taking part in a secret plot to overthrow the ailing king, which is a move that will surely lead to her execution if she’s caught.
According to streaming tracker When to Stream, Firebrand will be released on premium video on demand on July 2.
VUDU, also known as Fandango at Home, has Firebrand listed for pre-order at $14.99, and the title will likely cost the same at similar digital outlets including Prime Video and AppleTV+ on premium video on demand.
Pre-order prices generally reflect the purchase price of a movie, so viewers can expect to rent Firebrand for $5 cheaper at $9.99 when it becomes available on PVOD. Digital rentals are good for a 48-hour period once a viewer begins watching the movie.
How Did ‘Firebrand’ Fare With Audiences And Critics?
Firebrand opened June 14 in 442 theaters and made $233,373 in its opening weekend, according to box office tracker The Numbers. To date, the film has earned $457,241 domestically and $137,069 in international ticket sales for a worldwide box office tally of $594,310. Production budget information for Firebrand is not available.
Rotten Tomatoes critics were split in their assessment of Firebrand, as the film earned a 55% “rotten” rating based on 64 reviews. Viewers, however, gave Firebrand a “fresh” RT Audience Score of 69% based on less than 50 verified user ratings.
In a Zoom conversation with Jude Law and Alicia Vikander about Firebrand, Law said he was excited to delve into a seldom-told tale about Katherine Parr and how she managed to survived Henry VIII’s maddening reign in his final days.
“We know that one minute he would call for her death warrant and fall asleep—and the next minute rips it up and buys her a horse and takes her out on a picnic,” Law said. “It was an insanely tumultuous time and she managed not only to survive but influence and steer him … it was important to bring that level of test and risk so that her story felt all the more remarkable … It was my responsibility to set up the jeopardy in the room.”
Before Parr, Henry VIII infamously cast out two of his wives and had two others executed. Another one of the monarch’s wives died in childbirth.
Directed by Karim Aïnouz, Firebrand also stars Eddie Marsan, Simon Russell Beale, Sam Riley and Junia Rees