The Lost King's Lingering Echoes: Coogan, Pathé, and the Historians Find Peace at Last

You know, sometimes, even the most compelling true stories have a messy, human-sized footnote, or in this case, a whole legal drama. And so it was for 'The Lost King,' the rather charming film about Philippa Langley's tenacious quest to unearth King Richard III.

Just as a High Court trial was poised to kick off in London, actor-writer Steve Coogan and production powerhouse Pathé have, in truth, reached a settlement with two historians whose vital contributions to that very real-life discovery felt, well, perhaps a bit too 'lost' in the cinematic retelling. The whole affair, frankly, had cast a shadow, albeit a small one, over a film designed to celebrate remarkable perseverance.

The historians in question, Michael Ibsen and Simon Laurie, had filed a lawsuit back in October 2023. Their claim? They argued they'd been promised — and honestly, quite rightly deserved — producer credits and a decent slice of the financial pie for their absolutely indispensable roles in bringing Richard III's remains to light. Michael Ibsen, a direct descendant of the monarch, provided the crucial DNA sample that finally, definitively confirmed the identity of the bones found under that Leicester car park. And Simon Laurie? He was the unsung hero, the local expert whose meticulous research literally pinpointed the precise spot where the king had lain buried for centuries.

The film, for its part, focused intensely on the journey of Philippa Langley, the amateur historian who spearheaded the search, a narrative choice that, you could say, perhaps inadvertently minimized others' contributions. Coogan, who not only co-wrote the screenplay but also starred as Langley's supportive (and often bemused) husband, had, it seemed, found himself entangled in a real-life plot twist that was rather less straightforward than anything he might pen for the screen.

So, after all that, the settlement comes now, announced quietly, just on the cusp of what promised to be a fascinating, if surely arduous, legal battle. The terms? Predictably, perhaps, they're staying confidential, tucked away from public scrutiny. Pathé and Coogan's production company, Baby Cow Productions, released a statement that, in fairness, acknowledged the historians' significant contributions. They even expressed some regret for any 'distress' caused, emphasizing that the film’s true intent was to honour 'the extraordinary efforts of all those who were involved in the successful search.'

And the historians? Through their solicitors, they confirmed the settlement, noting they were 'pleased' to accept the statement from Pathé and Baby Cow and, really, just keen to 'move on.' One can only imagine the relief on both sides, truly. Legal battles are rarely pleasant, after all, and certainly not when they involve a story that should, ideally, be one of pure historical triumph.

Let's not forget the sheer scale of the original discovery, either. Philippa Langley’s relentless pursuit, the dramatic unearthing of the skeleton, the DNA confirmation from Ibsen, and then, of course, the grand reburial of Richard III at Leicester Cathedral — it was a truly astonishing feat of historical detective work. The film sought to capture that spirit, and it did, earning a respectable £3.6M at the UK box office and seeing a US release via Lionsgate.

But this settlement, for all its confidential clauses, does serve as a rather poignant reminder. Even when celebrating the extraordinary, it’s often a chorus of voices, a symphony of efforts, that makes history sing. And sometimes, it takes a legal skirmish to ensure every crucial note is finally heard, loud and clear.