For close to seven hundred years, Gawain has been a favorite hero in Arthurian myth, especially when it comes to his legendary accomplishments—and faults—in Gawain and the Green Knight. No matter how much readers may root for him in his quest with the Green Knight, many of us can’t help but wonder…what if? All of that changed with David Lowery’s 2021 film, The Green Knight, which presents viewers with an abundance of scenarios that many of us haven’t even anticipated. In doing so, Lowery has forever altered the way scholars approach the medieval poem. This panel seeks to explore some of the most powerful changes Lowery makes to the base text of Gawain and the Green Knight, and what we can learn about the importance—or dangers—of retelling popular stories in new and inventive ways. Please submit a 250 word abstract, a brief bio, and A/V requirements by July 30th to Melissa Crofton at mcrofton@fit.edu