The former Spider-Man actor shared the blunt sentiment during a recent promotional Q&A alongside director Paul Greengrass ahead of the wide theatrical launch of their latest project, The Uprising. Set against the backdrop of late 14th-century England, the film vividly depicts the Peasants’ Revolt of 1381, a massive and bloody uprising sparked by King Richard II’s aggressive and regressive taxation policies levied heavily upon the poorest and most vulnerable members of medieval society.
In the film, Garfield stars as Ploughman, an ordinary agricultural worker who is driven to the forefront of the rebellion, eventually emerging as a leader of the exploited masses. Interestingly, despite its deep historical roots, various elements of the project’s unconventional marketing campaign have hinted at connections to a familiar folklore, with some promotional materials suggesting the narrative functions as a gritty origin story for Robin Hood. The cross-media rollout has even extended into the digital space, featuring a unique interactive game-world crossover inside Fortnite to capture the attention of younger audiences.
During their extensive press discussions, Garfield and Greengrass emphasized that while The Uprising takes place roughly 700 years in the past, its core themes remain startlingly relevant to the contemporary sociopolitical climate. Speaking directly to the universal appeal of stories about marginalized populations fighting back against unchecked authority, Garfield singled out today’s ultra-wealthy elite, arguing that historical dramas of this nature should serve as an unmistakable cautionary tale for modern plutocrats.
“I hope it’s galvanizing,” Garfield said during the panel discussion regarding the overarching message of The Uprising. “I hope there’s some awakening that people feel, that we all feel like our own struggles are being reflected in the struggles of these characters from a distant time and place, and that it could be directive. And I hope that if any billionaires watch it, that they’re scared s***less.”
While the actor did not explicitly name specific individuals during the event, the modern landscape offers no shortage of prominent figures who might see themselves reflected in the cautionary tale. Observers can easily imagine the commentary applying broadly to mega-tycoons across the global economic spectrum, ranging from tech moguls like X and Twitter owner Elon Musk to retail titans like Amazon founder Jeff Bezos.
This commentary arrives at a uniquely turbulent moment in modern history. As corporations and investors race frantically to win the high-stakes artificial intelligence arms race, critics argue that corporate leaders have thrown long-term caution—and, in the view of many analysts, fundamental human empathy—to the wind. The relentless, breakneck pursuit of automated labor and advanced AI systems has stoked widespread public anxiety. Sociologists and economists alike have raised growing concerns that impending mass job displacements, combined with widening economic inequality and societal upheaval, could eventually spark real-world civil unrest and widespread protests reminiscent of historical crises.
The turbulent atmosphere surrounding modern wealth disparity is further highlighted by the tagline for The Uprising, which boldly states that "there will be no peace until we are healed." During the promotional event, Garfield took that sentiment a step further, applying it directly to the very class of people whose immense accumulation of wealth often mirrors the feudal lords of the past.
“I’m going to include the billionaires in that as well cuz they’re the ones that might be the most soul sick,” Garfield declared, expanding on the film’s philosophical undertones. “They’re the ones that might need the healing the most in a way.”
Amid the heavy promotional duties for his cinematic critique of feudalism and modern excess, Garfield has also found himself fielding inquiries about other corners of the entertainment industry, including the ongoing cinematic legacy of the superhero franchise that once defined a major chapter of his career. However, it appears the actor has had little time to keep tabs on his cinematic peers, joking about a distinct gap in his current viewing habits.
While audiences wait to see whether The Uprising manages to spark a cultural conversation or genuinely rattle the upper echelons of society, Garfield himself might finally find a quiet moment to catch up on recent box office monoliths. The actor recently admitted that he has not yet had the opportunity to watch Spider-Man: Brand New Day or the epic historical feature The Odyssey. Consequently, he confessed that he had not yet formally reached out to congratulate his fellow Spider-Man veteran Tom Holland on the tremendous, record-breaking theatrical success of both projects, simply because he has not yet seen the films for himself.