Ian McKellen and Richard Loncraine, who also directed, chose to place their version of Richard III in 1930s Britain, reimagining the notorious hunchback as a fascist seeking power. While the current English monarchy holds little real authority, it’s hard to imagine what advantage there would have been in challenging it even during the nineteen thirties. However, the film exists within an alternate timeline where the War of the Roses unfolds centuries later than the actual historical events. I don't necessarily object to royalty persisting for that length of time; my concern lies with the fact that language hasn’t developed at the same pace as, say, military technology. It seems odd that Richard—who isn’t portrayed as foolish or naive—would use a phrase like “my kingdom for a horse” when he could be requesting something more modern, such as a tank. This line appears only because it's present in Shakespeare’s play; yet, many elements from the original are absent from this film, and vice versa, so why include that specific piece? It’s difficult to believe it wasn’t simply due to audience expectations, even though it doesn’t logically fit within the context of the story. Did they worry that dedicated Shakespeare enthusiasts would be upset if it were omitted? If such a group existed—and I suspect they would have—they likely would have protested much earlier. A similar anachronism arises in a scene where multiple characters who are enemies are forced to pledge loyalty to one another. As Al Pacino’s documentary, *Looking for Richard*, rightly explains, those vows carried significant weight during the period when Shakespeare wrote his play because breaking them was considered a path to eternal damnation. The same applies to Richard's accusation that Queen Elizabeth used witchcraft to cause his physical condition; it might have been accepted as truth in the 1470s, but not so much in the nineteen thirties. Ultimately, it’s somewhat surprising that McKellen contributed to the screenplay because his acting is deserving of a stronger script. His physicality, specifically, stands out—this Richard resembles an exceptionally clever ape pretending to be a British Army field marshal. And when he addresses the audience directly—another technique that functions better on stage—it feels as though Richard is sharing with us that the entire movie is a cruel trick he’s playing on everyone else. One can only wish that were true.

Source on TMDB