William Tell is a 2024 epic historical drama written and directed by Nick Hamm, based on the play of the same name by Friedrich Schiller. It stars Claes Bang, Connor Swindells, Golshifteh Farahani, Jonah Hauer-King, Ellie Bamber, Rafe Spall, Emily Beecham, Jonathan Pryce, and Ben Kingsley. As Swiss legend goes, William Tell became a medieval folk hero when occupying Austrian militants forced him into a sick game: He was forced to fire an arrow into an apple atop his son’s head to save his family from execution. It was a daunting task, but the warrior’s aim was true, inspiring a rebellion among the Swiss and, centuries later, everything from Gioachino Rossini’s iconic overture to a very funny “Far Side” comic. With “William Tell,” producers hope that fable can spawn an action franchise as well. Debuting at the Toronto Film Festival, it’s a film driven by future-proofed storytelling, setting up an overwhelming sweep of characters over its plodding 133-minute running time, before culminating in a shameless sequel tease in its final image. And yet, with a towering Claes Bang in the lead role and a dynamic supporting cast, it’s easier to swallow the notion of there being more Tell adventures to come.