If you are a fan of generals and leaders from fantasy swords movies, or if you are looking for legendary sword fighters from medieval series then you must be looking for movies like King Arthur: Legend Of The Sword.
The movie based on the Arthurian legend is the most-watched thing on Netflix right now. The fantasy movie by the British director Guy Richie, tells the story of Arthur’s rise from the sewers to greatness and presents the familiar legend from a different, initial point of view. From a childhood story to the exciting pull of the “Excalibur” sword from the stone, to a formidable confrontation with the evil and greedy uncle. The film is full of moments that leave a mark on its viewers.
To decide which movies to watch depends upon what you like about King Arthur. If you like it for fantasy, history, medieval, middle ages, warrior-kings, action, and sword fighting elements then you would probably like the list of movies and tv shows like King Arthur Legend of the Sword.
1. Excalibur (1981)
The legends of Arthur are captured in the 1981 film by director John Boorman. The movie is considered one of the most successful adaptations of King Arthur’s legends in cinema. The movie is based on Sir Thomas Mallory’s ‘Death of Arthur’, but with the removal of decorative elements and stories of Christian grace, which do not directly relate to the plot.
The story follows Arthur’s legends and Merlin, as a myth rather than a historical story. So the emphasis is on the fantastic and mystical and less on an accurate historical description of the period. For example, the armor in the film is full tablet armor from the end of the Middle Ages, although the historical period of the myth was actually the days of darkness (somewhere between 400 AD and 600 AD).
2. Troy (2003)
Based on the masterpiece ‘The Iliad’ by the Greek poet Homer, inspired by the legendary Trojan War. ‘Troy‘ brings to the big screen the wide-ranging story of that well-known historical war. The story takes place in ancient Greece, where the Prince of Troy, Paris (Orlando Bloom), has an affair with Helen, Queen of Sparta (Diane Kruger).
Diane’s husband is the king of Sparta, Menials (Brendan Gleeson), who takes the affair as a very great insult, both to him and to his brother, Agamemnon (Brian Cox), the king of Mycenaeans. After Paris kidnaps Helen from her kingdom, Agamemnon unites the inhabitants of the Mycenaean and Sparta kingdoms under the powerful umbrella of ancient Greece, to return Helen of Troy, thereby expanding the territory of Greece. Along the way, he forges a historic alliance with the spear warrior who lusts for fame and power, Achilles (Brad Pitt).
Together, they launch an attack led by Achilles and his forces against the walled city of Troy, which is fiercely defended by Prince Hector (Eric Bana), and start a war that will last 10 bloody years.
3. Beowulf (2007)
In the age of powerful superheroes, we get the most powerful hero of all, Beowulf. The 6th-century Scandinavian warrior embarks on a mission to slay the manlike ogre Grendel, a descendant of Cain.
After eliminating the powerful demon, he finds himself facing the eternal rage of his seductive, ruthless mother, who will use every means at her disposal to secure revenge. The ongoing battle unfolding over a generation commemorates Beowulf’s name.
4. King Arthur (2004)
The film by director Antoine Fuqua presents us with a very different version of King Arthur. This time the emphasis was not on Merlin’s supernatural powers and the evil witch Morgan Le Faye and the search for the mystical magic trophy.
In this film, there are no supernatural forces or fantastic events whatsoever. It’s very similar to the cinematic version of “Troy” where all-natural events and violent interventions were removed from the plot.
Overall this is a fairly intelligent and quite impressive movie like King Arthur: Legend of The Sword, it is certainly much more than most of the historical dramas we have seen in recent years. It has many mentions that will probably go over the heads of most viewers who are most familiar with the traditional legends of Arthur or would prefer to always see another sword fight.
5. Lady Macbeth (2016)
Set in 1865 Northern England. The beautiful young Catherine was purchased as a wife for her husband, but it turns out to be unsuccessful marriage both outside and inside the bed. When her husband goes about his business, she breaks up with one of the estate workers and her female independence leads her to cross several more forbidden boundaries.
Screenwriter Alice Birch copies the famous novel by Russian writer Nikolai Laskov to British provinces, and director William Oldroyd claims the story in a Hitchcockian vibe and an abundance of cinematic brilliance.
6. Outlaw King (2018)
An action movie based on real events in Scotland in 1304. Robert de Bruce, (Chris Payne) the King of Scotland sets out to mobilize an army to fight the most powerful force in the world, the English army. He liberates Scotland from the hands of Edward I King of England.
7. Knightfall (TV show, 2017)
The Order of the Knights Templar was a group of monks, elite warriors, who devoted themselves to the security of the roads in the Holy Land of the Middle Ages.
Following the armies of the Christian Crusades‘ defeat by the Muslims, they started to engage in charitable giving and protection of the poor and weak. When the head of the order is assassinated, our hero, Landry (Tom Cullen) is appointed head of the order.
Landry’s secret relationship with the Queen is also kept by his enemies within the Order, until the chase after the “Holy Grail,” from which Jesus drank at his last supper, begins. This legendary trophy is attributed to miracle forces, to the point, that the pope himself travels to France, to order his knights’ army to search for it at all costs.
The chase becomes cruel and full of passion. Will a Christian-Muslim alliance succeed protect the trophy from the corrupt lust for power of the rulers?
8. Fate/stay night (2006 Anime TV and Movie Series)
Fate is a story of Western fantasy magic combined with historical legends from different cultures. The medieval fantasy anime was created by Type-Moon and includes not only anime and manga series but also games, visual novels, and light novels, many of which have parallel universes based on a similar concept.
At the center of the anime series is usually the Holy Grail War (in one variation or another): a war between mages called “masters”. Each of whom has long been a servant (Servant) – a historical hero (e.g. Hercules or Alexander the Great, King Arthur, It can be a character that existed in reality and could be from a familiar legend) that will help him fight the other masters. The last one left wins the Holy Grail capable of fulfilling any wish.
9. Army of Darkness (1992)
A 1992 fantasy comedy film starring Sam Raimi, produced by Robert Tapert, and starring Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams.
This is the third film in the Evil Dead trilogy. Ash reads a book that transports him to 1300 A.D. where he must battle a medieval army of the dead and retrieve the Necronomicon so he can return home.
10. 300 (2006)
Directed by Zack Snyder the ‘300’ is inspired by the works of the comic book creator Frank Miller (“City of Sins”). A thermoplastic battle took place in 480 BC, in which 300 daring Spartan warriors, led by King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) fought tens of thousands of warriors, of the Persian king Xerxes (Rodrigo Santro).
The film tells the story of Leonidas when he becomes King of Sparta. When the Persian king sends a messenger to him demanding that he surrender and annex the great Persian kingdom, the king refuses the conditions of humiliation. He decides to gather around him 300 brave Spartan warriors and go to war defending against the Persian invading army.
11. Gladiator (2000)
Maximus (Russell Crowe), A former Roman General sets out vengeance against a corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery. The academy award winner for best film is an epic spectacle with amazing visual effects, action, and drama scenes.
Directed by Ridley Scott, Gladiator opened the 2000 Academy Awards with a storm. It became a big hit, earning over $400 million worldwide, and in its year of release became the fourth film on the US box office chart.
The film’s success brought back the popularity of the epic subgenre “Sword-and-Sandal”, which was very popular in the 1950s and 1960s.
12. Centurion (2010)
A historical drama about a group of Roman warriors directed by Michael Fassbender. An entire legion of Romans is attacked in a brutal and almost destroyed by Celtic tribes, except for a few survivors who fight for their lives in the enemy territory lurking for them wherever they flee.
A fascinating journey through endless forests and snow. Spectacular and well-choreographed one-on-one battles, terrible CGI. Overall a decent low-budget action film.
13. Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010)
The movie follows the adventures of a Persian prince (Jack Gyllenhaal), who joins a rival princess (Gemma Arterton), to stop a common enemy – a cruel Tiran. The two try to prevent him from creating a sandstorm that could destroy the world.
Based on a video game, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time is such a fun and adventurous movie like King Arthur, with great visual effects and awesome rhythm, Jack Gyllenhaal is awesome as usual.
See also: 8 Best Movies like Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time14. Risen (2016)
In 32 AD, Clavius (Joseph Fiennes), is a Roman officer that gets a task to try and find the missing body of an executed Jewish soldier who is rumored to have been resurrected and questioned to be Jesus Christ. During his journey, he is forced to question his own beliefs and truths.
This movie is like a biblical story in a very unique and simple way, it’s inspirational and captivating, it is filmed beautifully and Joseph Fiennes is doing such a great realistic and emotional role.
15. Battle of the Warriors (2006)
The film is set in historical China during 370 BC, in the period of the Warring States. A massive army from the state of Zhao is on its way to attack the state of Yan. Liang, a state city on the Zhao – Yan border, is in danger of being occupied by the Zhao army.
Ge Li (Andy Lau), a Mohist, comes to Liang to help defend the city. Although the King of Liang has already planned peace talks with the invaders, Ge Li manages to persuade him to back off peace negotiations and warns Liang residents of the results of surrender.
The king has doubts about Ge Li’s ideas but still, he puts the legendary warrior in command of his army. Such an epic movie, with great visual effects, drama, and a lot of action. Well-coordinated and crafted battles.
6. Baahubali: The Beginning (2015)
This epic 3 hours movie will take you by its color, aesthetics, and romance. A bloody tale about two cousins from the Mahishmati kingdom in India. Bhalla (Rana Daggubati), fights along with Baahubali (Prabhas Raju ), to hold the scepter of the kingdom.
At the same time, young Shivudu embarks on a journey following his love. One of the most expensive productions in the history of Bollywood.
Baahubali Opened in the United States with $3.5 million. True, pennies in terms of the most expensive film in the history of Bollywood, but who exactly expected an Indian-speaking epic adventure film to even be distributed in America? Well, the producers’ gamble turned out to be successful.
17. Immortals (2011)
Ages the gods’ victory over the Titans, a new evil threatens the land, when King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke), declares war on humanity.
Equipped with an army of bloodthirsty warriors, Hyperion wreaked havoc in Greece in search of the legendary Epirus Bow, a weapon with superpowers. Only those who hold a bow can free the Titans imprisoned deep within Mount Tartarus, thirsty for revenge. If the bow falls into the hands of the king, it will destroy humanity and destroy the gods, but ancient law forbids the gods from interfering in human conflicts.
They remain unable to stop Hyperion until a farmer and a demigod named Theseus (Henry Cavill), turn out to be their only hope. It’s the ultimate battle between light and dark.
18. Hercules (2014)
Mythical Hercules (Dwayne Johnson), leads a gang of mercenaries to end a bloody civil war in the ancient region of Thrace and return the legitimate king to his throne. Hercules has a tormented soul from birth – endowed with a subversive power but observes and feels the suffering of human beings. A variety of villains test Hercules’ true powers.
Dwayne Johnson’s Hercules is a warrior full of humor, somewhat similar to Arnold Schwarzenegger in Conan The Barbarian. Brett Ratner is the kind of director you can count on to deliver an entertaining and well-made Hollywood movie product. If you are looking for movies like King Arthur for a variety of weapons, monsters, warriors, and a variety of objects flying toward the crowd, this film provides one big emotional amusement park.
19. The Odyssey (1997)
After ten years of war over the city of Troy, Odysseus (Armand Assante), finally returns home. But the gods show no mercy, and they turn him into a really small part of their cruel game. The journey back home becomes an ongoing nightmare, in which Odysseus is forced to continue fighting for his life, confronting various creatures, with only the goddess Athena (Isabella Rosellini), standing by his side.
Meanwhile, his wife (Greta Scacchi), repulses the suitors who want to take over his kingdom. Another movie like Troy with one of the founding myths of Greek culture. This artistic movie will take you to the myth and ongoing poetry, battles, and passions of mythical Greek.
20. Henry V (1989)
This medieval movie is considered to be one of the best adaptations of Shakespeares’ plays. King Henry V (Kenneth Branagh) invades France to claim his right to his kingdom and for his future wife, the daughter of King Charles VI of France – Princess Katherine (Emma Thompson).
Henry V is a film that is free from boundaries es that led its creator, Kenneth Branagh, to a Hollywood career. While it won an Academy award only for its costumes, Branagh’s subversive content and electrifying performance, as well as the cinematography work, prove the film deserved more.
22. Ben-Hur 1959
Judah Ben-Hur, a wealthy Jew living in Jerusalem in the first century AD, is unjustly accused by his childhood friend, the Roman tribune of Masala, of harming the Roman commissioner. After years as a slave and after his mother and sister were thrown into prison he returns to revenge on Masala through a chariot race and changes forever thanks to a series of encounters with Jesus.
The period drama Ben Hur from 1959 is considered one of the greatest Hollywood classics of all time. The film directed by William Wheeler and starring Charlton Heston was a groundbreaking production, with a budget of more than $ 15 million – the largest at the time.
The audience flocked in masse to watch it and making it the most successful film at the box office that year. The film industry was also impressed and won no less than 11 academy awards.
Kubrick deals with the eternal struggle of man for his freedom. The film combines touching drama, political intrigue, and spectacular battle scenes, and the result is a fascinating classic about love, courage, and commitment, dubbed by critics the first intellectual epic since the silent film era.
23. Clash of the Titans (1981)
Wonderful stunts and the amazing artwork of the great Ray Harryhausen, are the central interest in Desmond Davis’ film which depicts the adventures of the mythological hero Perseus. He is the beloved son of the father of the gods, Zeus, played by Lawrence Olivier.
After he manages to annoy the sea goddess Tethys and falls in love with Andromeda, his father sends him on some impossible missions like catching the flying wonder horse, Pegasus, and killing the multi-snake monster – Medusa.
24. The Green Knight 2021
David Laurie’s latest film is an adaptation of the epic poem about Sir Gavan’s encounter with the Green Knight, who challenges him to test his courage. This song is part of the epic creation cycle around the stories of King Arthur and the Knights of the Round Table.
Laurie’s film acts like a song or a ballad, with each scene being a house in its own right, with a sleepwalking course of events that sometimes seem like a dream or hallucination.
See also: The 12+ Best Knight Movies On Netflix and Amazon Prime