The True Story Behind Arthur the King, Explained

Any filmmakers looking to guarantee themselves a hit should try this one simple step: just put a dog in it. Feature films depicting that special bond with man’s best friend almost always resonate with empathetic moviegoers. Extra points if the human and dog overcome some adversity or obstacle together. Even more extra points if that story is based on true events. This is where Arthur the King comes in.

Produced by and starring Mark Wahlberg, it tells the story of the captain of a racing team who befriends a stray dog that proceeds to join them in the race. The film is based on the 2016 nonfiction book Arthur – The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home by Mikael Lindnord, and just recently hit theaters in March 2024. As the book’s subject and author, Lindnord provides a firsthand account of the inspiring true story of his connection with the titular dog, Arthur. This movie seems to be checking all the boxes to ensure an empathetic audience, with more props for the fact that the story is based on true events. So what is the real story? What should audiences know before going to see Arthur the King, and how well will the story hold up? Let’s look at what we know.

What Happens in Arthur the King?

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The central figure of the story is book author Mikael Lindnord. Lindnord is a Swedish multi-terrain adventure racer with nearly two decades of racing experience. His races aren’t for the faint of heart, with a combination of running, biking, kayaking, swimming, and rock climbing across wild, rugged terrain all in a desperate bid to be the first to cross that finish line. Everything culminates in the annual World Championships, typically held around November.

In November 2014, Lindnord and a team of three others were competing in the World Championships in South America. This race spanned 435 miles, which would take approximately 110 to 120 hours across five days to complete. Teams contend with any number of environmental challenges all while pushing themselves to the brink with almost no sleep. Again, not for the faint of heart. Wahlberg even hurt himself just filming the movie. In Ecuador, a few days into the race, Lindnord first noticed a rough-looking stray dog when the team stopped to camp for dinner in a small populated area. Lindnord recounted that the dog stuck out to him due to how still and calm it appeared despite its battered condition. The dog approached Lindnord, who offered it some of the group’s leftover meatballs. The dog hung around the area, but Lindnord thought that was that.

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The next morning, the group continued on the race, though Lindnord noticed a few hours later that the dog was following them. After realizing it wasn’t going anywhere, Lindnord dubbed the pooch “Arthur” after the legendary King Arthur. Later on, one of the team members struggled with dehydration, with another team assisting Lindnord’s group all while Arthur stayed close behind. The team next had to cross a river in a canoe all while toting their injured race mate. There wasn’t enough room for Arthur, who waited back on the shore while visibly distressed. Lindnord coaxed him into the water, and soon the dog begrudgingly hopped into the water to swim after them.

The Aftermath

Arthur stayed with his new family all the way through the finish line, remaining by Lindnord’s side the entire time. With no obvious owner, Lindnord received permission to bring the stray home to his family in Sweden. After several months of veterinary care in Sweden, Arthur earned a clean bill of health.

Soon after the story got out, a local man from Ecuador claimed that Arthur in fact belonged to him. Moreover, friends of the alleged owner claimed that Lindnord had actually taken Arthur from his family. Lindnord refuted those claims, accusing the man and his friends of allowing Arthur’s abuse. The man attempted to take Arthur back, claiming the dog would go with him on trips with local biologists and nature experts. However, public outcry due to Arthur’s poor living conditions caused the man to back down from his ownership claims.

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Lindnord retired from racing a year later in 2015, and enjoyed several more years of life with his canine companion. Arthur died from cancer in December 2020 at roughly the age of 13, just a few weeks before production on the film was set to kick off.

The Film Version

Arthur’s story is one of resilience and the bond between dogs and their humans. Mark Wahlberg brings that story to life as producer and in the role of Michael Light, a fictionalized version of Mikael Lindnord. Simu Liu, Juliet Rylance, and even survivalist extraordinaire Bear Grylls round out the cast of this flick. So far, it’s attracted mixed-to-positive critical reviews, though the audience score is likely to be much higher. However, it has earned some criticism from South Americans and Ecuadorians for relocating the setting to the Dominican Republic.

In any case, Arthur the King should see audience and box office success due to just how inspiring these stories are for filmgoers. And don’t worry, Arthur lives through the whole adventure. Arthur the King is currently playing in theaters.