by Neil Gaiman
URSULA
Your majesty? Are you hurt?
KING BEOWULF
Not a scratch.
he kisses her)
You know, Ursula. When I was young, I thought being King would be about battling every morning, counting the golden loot in the afternoon, and swiving beautiful women every night. And now…nothing’s as good as it should have been.
URSULA
Not even the “swiving a beautiful woman every night” part, your majesty?
KING BEOWULF
(laughs)
Well, some nights, Ursula. Some nights.
URSULA
Perhaps tonight?
KING BEOWULF
No…
(a rueful laugh)
Tonight I feel my age upon me. Tomorrow. After the Celebration. We can’t forget what tomorrow is? Can we now?
URSULA
(seriously)
Your Day. When the Saga of Beowulf is told…of how you lifted the darkness from the land. And the day after, we celebrate the birth of Christ Jesus.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 86.
He smiles, and tenderly strokes her face.
WEALTHOW (O.S.)
(icily)
I see you’ve survived.
Beowulf turns to find…
Queen Wealthow and a PRIEST (in long cardinal robes and a large gold cross) coming across the bridge…
KING BEOWULF
Alas, my queen. The Frisian invaders have been pushed into the sea. And you are not a widow…yet.
She smiles sweetly and says…
QUEEN WEALTHOW
How comforting, my husband.
WE HEAR A HORN BLOW…
CUT TO:
66 INT. HEROT VILLAGE -- MORNING
66
In the frosty cold, breath steaming, Old Wiglaf stands on a stone plinth calling out an announcement:
OLD WIGLAF
On this day…in honour of our glorious King…let us tell the saga of King Beowulf. How our fearless lord slew the demon Grendel, and the demon’s hag mother…
THE CAMERA PULLS BACK, GLIDING HIGH ABOVE Castle Herot, it is Herot of Beowulf’s era…larger, more fortified, impressive with it’s two stone turrets.
In the distance King Beowulf stands alone on the arch-bridge.
WIGLAF’S VOICE ECHOES beyond the castle keep…
OLD WIGLAF (CONT’D)
Let his deeds of valor inspire us. On this day, let fires be lit and sagas told…
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 87.
About a half-mile from Herot…THE CAMERA FINDS the tall steeple of…
67 EXT. UNFERTH HALL -- SAME
67
Unferth hall is an impressive manor built of stone and timber. Its newest addition is the huge cross which adorns the steeple. THE CAMERA BOOMS down to find…
OLD UNFERTH hobbling out to his court yard.
OLD WIGLAF (O.S.)
I declare this day…BEOWULF’S DAY!
CLOSE ON OLD UNFERTH
OLD UNFERTH
Where the hell is that fool with the horses? Cain? Hurry it up!
Unferth’s son, GUTHRIC (35) and LADY GUTHRIC, AND THEIR SIX CHILDREN are climbing into a primitive sled, waiting for their horses. It begins to snow.
Guthric bears the same cantankerous attitude as his father. He also wears a large cross.
GUTHRIC
Beowulf’s Day. Bloody, stupid, old fools day more like. He’s as senile as father.
LADY GUTHRIC
He is the king.
GUTHRIC
Do you know how bloody sick I am of hearing about bloody Grendel and bloody Grendel’s bloody mother? What the hell was Grendel anyway? Some kind of giant dog, or something? And what was Grendel’s mother? She doesn’t even have a name!
LADY GUTHRIC
(wearily)
Can we just go.
OLD UNFERTH
(approaches the sled, yelling)
Cain! CAIN!!
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 88.
GUTHRIC
(taking up the cry)
CAIN! WHERE THE BLOODY CHRIST ARE Y…
WHACK! Unferth hits Guthric with his walking stick.
OLD UNFERTH
(now yelling at Guthric)
Don’t you blaspheme in my presence!!
At that moment two of UNFERTH’S HOUSE GUARDS appear, dragging OLD CAIN through the snow.
GUARD
He ran off again, my lord.
OLD CAIN, ragged, shivering, wearing a tattered blanket to keep out the cold. He’s dragged before old Unferth.
GUARD (CONT’D)
…we found him on the edge of the moors.
The two guards push Cain to the ground. As he falls, his blanket flips open…something golden GLINTS.
OLD UNFERTH
What have you got there?
Cain curls to try and hide his treasure, but it’s too late.
OLD UNFERTH (CONT’D)
(raising his walking-stick, to strike)
Show me, damn you…
Cain holds up…the GOLDEN DRAGON HORN.
Old Unferth’s eyes open wide as saucers…
CLOSE ON THE HORN. It glints and glitters in the light. And then the ENTIRE IMAGE surrounding the horn FADES TO BLACK…LEAVING ONLY THE HORN ON SCREEN…
WE HEAR Wealthow’s voice, ghostlike, ECHOING in the darkness…
QUEEN WEALTHOW (O.C.)
(ethereal)
So it’s come back to you, Beowulf…
Now the SURROUNDING IMAGE FADES IN…
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 89.
And we find…QUEEN WEALTHOW HOLDING THE GOLDEN HORN.
68 INT. ANTEROOM NIGHT
68
Wealthow stands at the foot of the stairs in the king’s anteroom, along with King Beowulf, Wiglaf and Old Unferth.
This is where the first scene from the movie left off.
QUEEN WEALTHOW
…After all these years.
Wealthow hands the horn to Beowulf. He takes hold of the horn very gingerly, as if it where somehow tainted…
KING BEOWULF
Where is this slave who found it?
OLD CAIN is roughly thrown to the floor by Unferth’s guards.
OLD CAIN
(trembling)
Please…please don’t kill me?
KING BEOWULF
(shows Cain the horn)
Where did you find this treasure?
CAINI…I’m sorry I runned away, master. Please don’t hurt me no more.
Old Unferth viciously kicks Cain…
OLD UNFERTH
(yells)
ANSWER YOUR KING!!!
KING BEOWULF
STOP!!!
Beowulf bends down and holds the golden horn before the terrified slave…
OLD CAIN
I…I didn’t steal it…I swear.
KING BEOWULF
(quietly)
Where?
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 90.
OLD CAIN
U…up…on the moors…
69 EXT. THE MOORS - FLASHBACK NIGHT
69
Cain is running like hell across the moors. The SOUNDS OF A SEARCH PARTY are HEARD in the distance.
GUARD (O.C.)
Cain! Cain! Can you hear me! You don’t want to stay out on the moors! There are things out here that’ll eat your heart for breakfast!
Cain passes the rock shaped like a reptile skull, near Grendel’s cave, when suddenly, the ground gives way beneath him and he is seemingly swallowed into the Earth.
70 INT. THE BARROW - NIGHT
70
Cain is under the ground. It’s dark…but Cain realizes that we are somewhere that glimmers…. that glimmers…
GOLD!
It’s a treasure horde: rings and bracelets, necklaces torques and plates, coins and statues and goblets, piled all around. Helmets and mail-shirts, swords, daggers and spears, shields and harps, statues of hawks and horses…the world glows in gold.
Cain mo
ves through the gold like a dark shadow….
CAIN
Such riches…
Then he sees something so wonderful that it takes his breath away…
CAIN reaches out, tentatively, for THE GOLDEN HORN.
END FLASHBACK…
71 INT. ANTEROOM - NIGHT
71
OLD CAIN…but I was going to bring it back…I swear.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 91.
KING BEOWULF
That’s all? No demon? No witch?
Cain shakes his head.
KING BEOWULF (CONT’D)
…no woman?
Wealthow’s eyes flash in Beowulf’s direction.
Again, Cain shakes his head.
Beowulf stands…and walks away.
CUT TO:
72 INT. HEROT - BEOWULF’S CHAMBERS - NIGHT
72
CLOSE ON: King Beowulf, he stirs in his troubled sleep. He’s tangled in his sheets, and in his hand he clutches the dragon horn.
Ursula is beside him, watching him toss and turn. Then she pulls on a robe of fur, and walks out onto…
72A EXT. THE ARCH-BRIDGE - NIGHT 72A
She steps out into the moonlight, but stops short…
Wealthow is standing in the middle of the bridge. She also wears a heavy fur cape.
QUEEN WEALTHOW
(looking at the stars)
Another restless night?
Ursula nods, terrified. Wealthow turns to her.
QUEEN WEALTHOW (CONT’D)
It’s all right, girl. I’m not going to eat you.
URSULA
He has bad dreams…they’ve been coming more often.
WEALTHOW
He’s a king. Kings have a lot on their conscience.
There’s an awkward pause in the conversion. Ursula is frightened to actually look at the queen.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 92.
URSULA
He calls your name in his sleep.
WEALTHOW
(unimpressed)
Does he?
URSULA
I believe he still holds you in his heart.
WEALTHOW
(condescending)
Do you?
Another long pause…
URSULA
I often wonder. What happened…
WEALTHOW
(finishes Ursula’s question)…to us?
Ursula barely nods, suddenly dreading the answer.
WEALTHOW (CONT’D)
(turns back to the stars)
Too many secrets.
Then, as if on que, we hear a LOUD RUMBLE…and…
FIRE LIGHTS UP THE NIGHT SKY!!!
Ursula and Wealthow look to see…A STREAM OF FLAME!
In the distance, A GUSH OF FIRE…RAINING FROM THE SKY!!!
The flames hit the ground, and a village BURSTS INTO FLAMES.
WEALTHOW (CONT’D)
God helps us.
CUT TO:
73 EXT. KING BEOWULF’S CASTLE - BAILEY - DAWN
73
KING BEOWULF, staring in horror…
KING BEOWULF
What. Tell me. What did this?
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 93.
A flood of REFUGEES pours into the castle-keep. They are MEN, WOMEN and CHILDREN, all in bad shape…burnt or scorched.
A WOMAN WITH A BABY runs into frame. She has wide, terrified eyes.
WOMAN WITH BABY
It came from the sky in the night, my lord! It burnt our houses and farms!!!
MAN #1
I saw our whole village burn!! Children screaming as they died!!
MAN #2
I saw it, your majesty, vomiting fire and smoke!!!
KING BEOWULF
Damn you all. What was it!
OLD UNFERTH (O.S.)
The dragon.
OLD WIGLAF grabs Beowulf by the shoulder and points to…
OLD UNFERTH,
burnt and smoldering, being carried though the castle gate by one of his guards. Unferth’s charred hand clutching his cross. Almost mad, his eyes are locked on Beowulf…
OLD UNFERTH (CONT’D)
My son. His wife. My grandchildren. All dead. Burned in the night. But not me. Not me.
KING BEOWULF
You say a dragon did this?
OLD UNFERTH
You had an agreement…and nothing would harm you. But now you have the golden horn…and the agreement is now ended…and my son is dead.
KING BEOWULF
Who said THIS?!!?
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 94.
OLD UNFERTH
Sins of the fathers. That’s the last thing I heard…the last thing, before my family was burned alive…the sins of the fathers.
Beowulf grabs Unferth and shakes him…
KING BEOWULF
Who!! WHO SAID THIS!!!
Unferth gives him a long crazed look, then says…
OLD UNFERTH
He did.
King Beowulf and Old Wiglaf lock eyes. Beowulf’s face fills with dread…
CUT TO:
74 INT. KING BEOWULF’S QUARTERS - KING’S ARMORY - DAY
74
King Beowulf is standing in front of his wall of weapons: His great bow, shield, sword and wolf/bear skin cape.
As he straps on his adorned breast-plate, he gives orders to Old Wiglaf and his THANE OFFICERS…
BEOWULF
Take up positions along the northern edge of the great gorge. That’s our only hope…if I fail.
Wiglaf nods. He and his men leave.
Beowulf pulls his sword and shield down from the wall, along with a huge bearded ax, a long leather strap is wrapped around the handle.
Beowulf is suiting up…becoming a warrior again.
The door flies open and Ursula rushes in, tears streaming down her cheeks.
URSULA
(sobbing)
Don’t go! I beg you!
Beowulf turns to her and gently holds her face.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 95.
BEOWULF
You are free to go. I release you. Find a good man and bear him children…bear him a son.
URSULA
I don’t want anyone else. I want you.
BEOWULF
I’m not the man you think me to be.
URSULA
You’re a great man, and a hero. This I know to be true.
KING BEOWULF
Then you’re as much of a fool as the rest of them.
Ursula bursts into tears and runs from the chamber.
Beowulf turns to see his reflection in a polished sheild. He looks deep into his own tortured eyes. In a half-hearted, pathetic gesture, he lifts his sword and slashes at the air.
An ironic CLAPPING ECHOES in the chamber. It’s Queen Wealthow, standing in the open doorway.
QUEEN WEALTHOW
Very impressive, dear. But the armor looked better on you when you were younger.
KING BEOWULF
I’m sure it did.
Wealthow approaches the king…
QUEEN WEALTHOW
Why don’t you take that poor girl and live out your remaining years in peace…Let some young hero save us.
KING BEOWULF
And start the whole nightmare all over again?
(he shakes his head)
No, I visited this horror upon my kingdom…I must be the one to finish her.
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 96.
QUEEN WEALTHOW
Her…? Was she so beautiful, Beowulf? A beauty so costly?
Beowulf nods, then…
KING BEOWULF
Beautiful, and full of fine promises. I was weak. I am sorry…so sorry.
He looks sadly into Wealthow’s eyes…
BEOWULF
I have always loved you, my Queen.
QUEEN WEALTHOW
And I you.
They smile warmly at each other, then…
BEOWULF
Keep a memory of me, not as a king and hero, but as a man�
�fallible and flawed.
King Beowulf pulls his cape on with a confident flourish.
75 EXT. THE GREAT CAVE - DAY
75
Just as it was thrity years ago. King Beowulf and Old Wiglaf, alone, ride up on horses. The horses shy, sensing something. They won’t step a foot closer to the mouth of the cave.
BEOWULF
This is the place.
OLD WIGLAF
This is where we came when you killed Grendel’s mother…
BEOWULF
You know my Wiglaf, I have no heir. If I’m killed by this demon…you shall be king. I have arranged it with the Heralds…they have my authorization.
WIGLAF
Don’t speak of such things, my lord.
Beowulf sighs, a sadness comes over him.
BEOWULF
Wiglaf, there is something you must know…
BLUE Rev. 2005-09-11 97.
Suddenly, with a fury we have never seen, Wiglaf cuts off Beowulf in mid-sentence…
OLD WIGLAF
(shouting)
NAY!!! THERE IS NOTHING I MUST KNOW!! You are BEOWULF! Beowulf the mighty! The hero! The slayer and destroyer of demons!!!!
Now let’s kill this flying devil where it sleeps, and get on with our bloody lives!!
