The Kingdom (2024)

Interesting facts

The Kingdom is a 2024 Philippine action adventure alternate history film directed by Michael Tuviera from a story he co-wrote with Michelle Ngu-Nario, who solely adapted it into a screenplay. The film includes an ensemble cast featuring Vic Sotto, Piolo Pascual, Cristine Reyes, Sue Ramirez, and Sid Lucero. The film is set in an alternate timeline where the Philippines was never colonized by Western powers and is a monarchy called Kalayaan.

Production

The Kingdom is a co-production between APT Entertainment, MQuest Ventures, and MZet Television Productions. Michael "Mike" Tuviera of APT serves as the film's director, while Michael Ngu-nario is the writer. Tuviera first pitched the story to Jane Basas of MQuest during a story conference for Padyak Princess. He described it a "non-political film about politics" which centers around family.

The Kingdom is noted for not heavily featuring comedy, despite the casting of Vic Sotto, an actor who has starred in mostly comedic projects. Sotto told Tuviera that his children wanted him to act in a serious film akin to The Godfather. For Sotto's role, temporary whole-body tattoos had to be applied for three hours, which serves as a status symbol for his character.

Tuviera approached business tycoon and co-producer Manny V. Pangilinan for a speaking cameo in the marriage of a Thai prince and Dayang Lualhati. Thinking it was a joke, Pangilinan was reluctant, having only appeared in one film, the 2010 biographical film Rosario, about his grandmother. After being convinced to appear, he expressed to Tuviera and Sotto his nervousness.

Tuviera mentioned the opening sequence, involving a Kalayaan warship, to be the most difficult to execute, requiring four to five months of planning. It was shot in June, on the last day of filming. The production team reached out to the Philippine Navy, who loaned them the BRP Jose Rizal for use in the film.

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