Ironclad
It's been twelve months since we have seen James Purefoy on the big screen since Solomon Kane, which is a great movie by the way, at the beginning of 2010.
But this week sees him return as he takes on the role of Marshall in Jonathan English's latest movie Ironclad.
So to celebrate the release of the movie we take a look at the changing roles of this British actor.
A Knight's Tale
After a successful stage career Purefoy moved into TV and film and landed the role of Edward, the Black prince of Wales in 2001's A Knight's Tale.
Directed by Brian Helgeland the movie saw Purefoy star alongside Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany and Rufus Sewell.
When his master dies unexpectedly, Medieval squire William Thatcher decides to try his luck at jousting.
Lacking an acceptable pedigree, he enlists the help of his friend Chaucer, who, in his pre-"Canterbury Tales" days, supplements his income by forging genealogy papers.
With his newly-minted history in hand, young William sets out to prove himself a worthy knight at the country's jousting competition and finds romance along the way.
The movie received mixed reviews upon it;'s release but went on to take over $117 million at the global box office - easily making back it's $65 million budget.
Resident Evil
It was back in 2002 that the Resident Evil franchise first blasted onto the big screen with Paul W.S. Anderson in the director's chair.
Something terrible is lurking in the Hive, a vast underground genetic research facility run by the Umbrella Corporation, a faceless bio-engineering conglomerate.
A deadly viral outbreak occurs, and in response, the Red Queen - a vast supercomputer that controls and monitors the Hive - seals the entire facility to contain the leak, killing all the trapped employees.
Alice and Rain must lead fellow commandos to isolate the virus that has wiped out Umbrella's entire research staff.
The team soon discovers, however, that the workers are not really dead. They are now the ravenous, zombie-like Undead, and they are prowling the hive and turning their victims into zombies.
Alice and the military task force have three hours to complete their mission before the Undead threaten to overrun the Earth.
The movie was a box office hit and went on to spawn and equally successful franchise.
Vanity Fair
Purefoy continued to mix and match his roles as he went from action to period drama when he starred in Vanity Fair in 2004.
He took on the role of Colonel Rawdon Crawley in Mira Nair's drama alongside Reese Witherspoon and Jonathan Rhys Meyers.
Growing up poor in London, Becky Sharp (Witherspoon) defies her poverty-stricken background and ascends the social ladder alongside her best friend, Amelia.
The movie was widely well received but it struggled at the box office upon release.
Rome
Like most actors Purefoy has moved between TV and movies throughout his career - staying with hugely successful Rome for two seasons.
He took on the role of Marc Anthony, a Roman general and politician, alongside Kevin McKidd and Ciaran Hinds.
A down-to-earth account of the lives of both illustrious and ordinary Romans set in the last days of the Roman Republic.
The series was popular with audiences and the first season went on to be nominated for eight Emmy awards, winning four.
As well as picking up nominations at the Golden Globes, Satellite Awards and the Baftas.
Solomon Kane
Solomon Kane was the last time that we saw Purefoy on the big screen as director Michael J. Bassett brought Robert E. Howard's popular magazine character to the big screen.
A savage warrior in 16th Century England seeks redemption for a lifetime of sins by renouncing violence to live a life of purity, only to find himself compelled to pick up his sword once again to vanquish a growing evil.
Solomon Kane was one of the best movies of 2010 and should have done so much better at the box office than it did.
Purefoy's performance was the highlight of the movie as he really announced himself as a leading man.
The movie is loaded with exciting set pieces and sword play, evil creatures and is an adventure that you can't help get swept along with.
Ironclad
The actor is back on the big screen this week with Ironclad as he leads an all star cast of Brian Cox, Paul Giamatti and Derek Jacobi.
It is the year 1215 and the rebel barons of England have forced their despised King John to put his royal seal to the Magna Carta, a noble, seminal document that upheld the rights of free-men.
Yet within months of pledging himself to the great charter, the King reneged on his word and assembled a mercenary army on the south coast of England with the intention of bringing the barons and the country back under his tyrannical rule.
Barring his way stood the mighty Rochester castle, a place that would become the symbol of the rebel's momentous struggle for justice and freedom.
Ironclad is released 4th march
FemaleFirst Helen Earnshaw
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