Production is officially underway on director Guy Ritchie’s next film, and to mark the occasion, the filmmaker has shared the very first Knights of the Round Table image from the set. The long-gestating project is a reimagining of the King Arthur story, with Charlie Hunnam taking on the role of the central Knight. Ritchie plans for this medieval epic to be the first in a six-film franchise, so plenty is riding on the success of this first film.

The debut image reveals Hunnam in character, and you’d be forgiven for mistaking him for someone from the TV series Vikings. He's certainly the most "badass" King Arthur I've ever seen, and is that a kilt I spot? Judging by this image, Ritchie is very much going with a “gritty” take on this story, which shouldn’t be a surprise given the style with which he envisioned the Sherlock Holmes franchise. Jude Law co-stars in Knights of the Round Table as the pic's villain, with Astrid Berges-Frisbey and Eric Bana also set as part of the cast, and Djimon Hounsou as the magician Merlin. Idris Elba was previously pegged for the role, but ultimately a deal didn't come together.

Check out the first Knights of the Round Table image below, via Ritchie’s Twitter. Filming just got underway today, but hopefully Ritchie continues to share images from set throughout the production, giving us more looks and what he has in store for this potential new franchise. Knights of the Round Table is scheduled for release via Warner Bros. on July 22, 2016.