V for Vendetta at 20: The True Story of Guy Fawkes, Bonfire Night and the World’s Most Famous Mask

Twenty years after its release, V for Vendetta returns to selected UK cinemas for Bonfire Night on Thursday 5 November 2026.

The political thriller, starring Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman, transformed a failed assassination plot from British history into an internationally recognised symbol of rebellion.

But the real Guy Fawkes was not the revolutionary hero many associate with the famous white mask.

His story involved religious persecution, a conspiracy to kill a king and an attempted attack that could have claimed hundreds of lives.

What Is Bonfire Night and Why Does Britain Celebrate It?

Bonfire Night, also called Guy Fawkes Night, Fireworks Night or Plot Night, takes place annually on 5 November.

Plot Night remains a familiar regional name, particularly in parts of Yorkshire and northern England.

The tradition commemorates the failure of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, when Catholic conspirators attempted to assassinate Protestant King James I and destroy Parliament.

In 1606, Parliament established an annual thanksgiving observance celebrating the King’s survival.

Over subsequent centuries, the occasion developed into the fireworks displays, community bonfires and family celebrations familiar today.

Traditional customs include burning effigies of Guy Fawkes, eating toffee apples, parkin and bonfire toffee, and reciting the rhyme beginning:

“Remember, remember, the fifth of November”.

Historically, celebrations also included burning effigies of the Pope, reflecting the anti-Catholic hostility surrounding the original commemoration.

Who Was Guy Fawkes and Was He the Mastermind?

Contrary to popular belief, Guy Fawkes did not organise the Gunpowder Plot.

Its leader was Robert Catesby, a Catholic gentleman who recruited conspirators hoping to overthrow the Protestant government and establish a Catholic-friendly replacement regime.

Catholics faced serious religious restrictions and persecution, but the conspirators’ proposed response involved mass killing rather than a campaign for democratic rights.

Fawkes joined Catesby’s conspiracy in 1604, having gained military experience fighting for Spain in the Netherlands.

His expertise with explosives made him valuable to the group, which eventually numbered 13 conspirators.

They concealed 36 barrels of gunpowder beneath the House of Lords, intending to detonate them during Parliament’s ceremonial opening.

Their wider plan involved seizing King James’s nine-year-old daughter, Princess Elizabeth, and using her as a figurehead for a new regime, although the arrangements were never fully developed.

The Mystery Letter That Exposed the Plot

On 26 October 1605, Lord Monteagle received an anonymous letter warning him not to attend Parliament.

He passed it to the authorities, prompting an investigation. The letter’s author has never been conclusively identified, although fellow conspirator Francis Tresham has long been suspected.

During the night of 4–5 November, officers discovered Fawkes guarding the explosives beneath Parliament.

Catesby was killed during a confrontation with government forces on 8 November. Fawkes was tortured, convicted of treason and executed on 31 January 1606.

He became the plot’s most famous figure because he was caught with the explosives, not because he organised the conspiracy.

How V for Vendetta Reinvented the Guy Fawkes Mask

The distinctive white mask originated in the British comic V for Vendetta, written by Alan Moore and illustrated by David Lloyd, which began publication in 1982.

Lloyd drew inspiration from traditional Guy Fawkes masks, creating the now-famous pointed beard, curled moustache and fixed smile.

The 2006 film, directed by James McTeigue, introduced the design to millions worldwide.

Its fictional revolutionary, V, fights Britain’s fascist Norsefire government and plans to destroy Parliament on 5 November.

Unlike Catesby’s conspirators, V opposes a dictatorship rather than seeking to restore Catholic political power.

The mask subsequently became associated with Anonymous, Occupy demonstrations and international protest movements, allowing participants to conceal their identities while presenting a shared symbol.

Watch the Official Trailer:

Reviews and Ratings

V for Vendetta holds a 73% critics’ score and 90% audience rating on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside 8.1/10 on IMDb and 62/100 on Metacritic.

Critics praised its striking visuals and political ambition, although its depiction of violence and departures from the original comic divided opinion.

Where to Watch V for Vendetta in the UK

Selected UK cinemas are screening the film for its twentieth anniversary around Bonfire Night.

At home, it is available through HBO Max, including the HBO Max Amazon subscription channel, with digital rental or purchase options through Apple TV, Amazon Video, Rakuten TV and Sky Store