25 best movies and TV shows based on the Arthurian legend

Cursed, the Netflix series based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller and Tom Wheeler, follows the young woman who will one day become the Lady of the Lake. Grim, brutal, and at times beautiful, this series has all of the trappings associated with the work of Miller in particular, including a sinister group of religious zealots who are determined to bring Britain under their sway. The plot takes some rather strange turns, but even so, the series enchants, thanks in no small part to Katherine Langford’s performance as Nimue. 

What began as a dark fantasy story about a group of stone gargoyles from the Middle Ages brought back to life in the 20th soon took some unexpected literary turns, making Gargoyles one of the most extraordinary animated series Disney has ever made. As the series progresses, Goliath, the leader of said gargoyles, finds himself drawn to the mystical isle of Avalon, where he met, among others, King Arthur. It’s a fascinating take on the Arthurian legend, mainly since it shows what happens when the great king finds himself in the modern world. 

Scooby-Doo remains one of the most beloved dogs in popular culture, and he has been the star of numerous films, including Scooby-Doo! The Sword and the Scoob. In this fun little gem, Scooby and the rest of the gang are seemingly sent back in time to King Arthur’s court, where they have to try to find their way back to the present. The film hits all of the notes one would expect of this latest iteration of Scooby-Doo, and, in keeping with the formula, it turns out they weren’t sent back in time after all. However, a nice little magical twist at the end leaves one to wonder whether it was just a trick after all. 

Even though he is one of the most heroic of Arthur’s knights and his relationship with Guinevere is key to the cycle’s appeal, Lancelot has only rarely received star billing. He finally gets his due in the aptly-titled Lancelot du Lac, directed by Robert Bresson. Remarkably, most of the actors cast in the various roles were not professionals, which gives their characters a strange and, at times, unsettling lack of emotional depth. However, even though this film eschews some of the more fantastical elements of King Arthur, it still manages to cast its particular spell. 

Sir Galahad is another of those characters from Arthurian legend who is often overshadowed by Arthur and Lancelot. This is particularly fascinating in that he is, in most tellings, Lancelot’s son. He gets his due in the Columbia serial The Adventures of Sir Galahad, where he sets out to become a Knight of the Round Table. In addition to being a fun adventure serial, it is also notable for starring George Reeves in the title role before he would secure his fame as Superman in The Adventures of Superman. 

In Arthurian legend, the Round Table is one of the most important objects, symbolizing everything Arthur aims to achieve. It also inspires many young men to want to join the ranks of his knights, and this is the premise of The Legend of Prince Valiant, which draws on the very popular and enduring comic strip. Over 65 episodes, this animated series introduced a sprawling cast of characters, and it hit the right balance of staying true to the comics while also making the most out of the medium of television. 

The TV series The Librarians provides a unique look at the figure of Lancelot, who in this telling has taken on the identity of Dulaque. In this fantastical telling, Lancelot yearns to recreate Camelot and, as a result, schemes to do so, even as Galahad (who goes by the name of Jenkins) tries to stop him. The rest of the series goes in non-Arthurian directions, but this first season is further proof of just how enduring the Arthurian legend remains and how flexible and accommodating it is to various types of storytelling. 

In most tellings of King Arthur, Merlin is significantly older than his charge, which is what makes him such a skilled adviser. The TV series Merlin, however, changes this dynamic by making the two men the same age so that Merlin becomes as much a companion to the young prince as a teacher. Colin Morgan and Bradley James are superbly cast as the two young men, and it’s clear how much on-screen chemistry they have together. What’s more, the series strikes a good balance between adhering to the established contours of the King Arthur story and appealing to young adults and adults alike. 

Merlin is, of course, one of the most important figures in the King Arthur story, acting as a teacher and adviser to the king. Despite this, he has only rarely been the focus of his own story, making Merlin, the 1998 miniseries, so special. Of course, it doesn’t hurt that the title character is played by the great Sam Neill, who imbues the character with his unique charm and gravitas. As a whole, the miniseries emphasizes the magical more than the historical, but this is precisely what gives it its unique charm, and the presence of such formidable actresses as Miranda Richardson and Isabella Rossellini is the icing on the cake. 

Quest for Camelot is one of those animated films from the 1990s that was largely overshadowed by the success of Disney and DreamWorks. While it might not attain their level of craftsmanship, it’s still a fun little film, focused as it is on Kayley, whose father was slain defending King Arthur and who aims to become a knight herself. Something is charming about the film, and, if nothing else, it’s refreshing to see a young woman emerge as the hero in a King Arthur story, given the extent to which men so dominate the mythos. 

The various films featuring the Monty Python comedy troupe are, without exception, excellent comedy, showcasing strong writing and superb acting. In some ways, Holy Grail is the pinnacle of their achievement, taking a riotously irreverent take on the figure of King Arthur and his various knights. In the years since its release, it has become a key part of the comedy film canon, and many of its key figures and moments — such as the Knights Who Say “Ni” —have become the subject of their own memes. As if all of this were not enough, the film has also generated a musical, Spamalot.

DreamWorks created a string of hits with the Shrek  films, a fun fantasy series for the 2000s. In the third installment, Shrek and Fiona find themselves in the unenviable position of being heir to the throne. Fortunately, they manage to recruit Fiona’s cousin, Artie (i.e., Arthur Pendragon), skillfully voiced by Justin Timberlake. It’s a fun and quippy take on the usual gravitas associated with King Arthur, and the film is notable for employing a slightly more sophisticated set of jokes and references than its two predecessors. Like the other two films in the series, it is also uproariously funny, with its form of enchantment that can’t be denied.

Disney’s The Sword and the Stone might not hit quite the heights of some other entries in the Disney canon, but it is certainly one of the most fun and enjoyable interpretations of the King Arthur legendarium. It is based on the first book of T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, focusing on the education of the young Arthur at the hands of the irascible wizard Merlin. As Merlin transforms the boy into various animals, he instills the knowledge and values he’ll need as a king. This is a lost Disney treasure worth rediscovering, filled with dazzling animation and catchy songs. 

The 2000s proved to be a strong decade for epic films set in antiquity, and while The Last Legion may not be as well-remembered as Gladiator or Troy, it still has much to recommend. As the Western Roman Empire slowly falls into anarchy and dissolution, it focuses in particular on the young man Romulus Augustulus, who has the dubious distinction of being the last true Western Roman Emperor. However, the film puts an interesting spin on his fall, proposing that he fled to Britain, where he would become the founder of King Arthur’s line. 

Mark Twain deserves his reputation as one of the finest authors to have ever emerged from American literature. A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, based on his novel of the same name, focuses on Bing Crosby’s Hank Martin, who somehow ends up in the court of King Arthur once he gets knocked unconscious. Given the sharp distinction between the modern era and the medieval one, his presence causes quite a stir, and the film is light on its feet (not surprising, considering Crosby’s skill as a comedic actor). It’s one of those films from the late 1940s that is almost whimsical, which gives it its enduring charm.

Dev Patel turns in one of his predictably excellent performances in The Green Knight, an adaptation of the medieval poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. Part fantasy adventure film and part visual poem, The Green Knight takes some notable creative risks, which certainly leans into weirdness. Though it can be quite slow, it more than rewards the viewer with a profound meditation on the nature of heroism and the enduring appeal of stories of knightly adventure. What’s more, it is also a haunting reminder of just how small humanity is when set against the vastness of history.

The legend of Tristan and Isolde is, like Lancelot and Guinevere, one of doomed romance. In the film, which bears their name, the two lovers are played by James Franco and Sophia Myles, while King Marke, Tristan’s adopted father and Isolde’s betrothed, is played by Rufus Sewell. There is something sweet and poignant about this film, particularly since the viewer knows that however much these two young people might love one another, theirs is a love that is fated to end in sadness. While there is victory here in the film of a sort, and while it is not the most wrenching of its adaptations, the two are still parted by death, an ending that simultaneously gives them a form of immortality. 

Guy Ritchie, one of the most unique directors working today, turns his attention to King Arthur in this film, which stars Charlie Hunnam in the title role. After growing up street tough, Arthur finds himself unexpectedly heir to the throne. Still, to claim it, he has to defeat his nefarious uncle, Vortigern, who is willing to do anything and sacrifice anyone to claim power for himself. The cast is universally excellent, and, in keeping with Ritchie’s aesthetic, there are some nice action set pieces and lots of quippy dialogue. Law is particularly great as the villainous Vortigern, bringing an almost camp sensibility to the role. 

The King Arthur legend has faded in and out of popularity over the years but experienced a brief resurgence in the 1990s. Like so many other iterations of the legend, it depicts the tragic love affair between Guinevere and Lancelot, played here by Julia Ormond and Richard Gere. Unlike some other versions of the story, magic plays no role and is very much focused on the doomed romance between the two leads. As if all of this weren’t enough, it also stars the late, great Sean Connery as King Arthur, and he brings his usual acting prowess to the role. 

The musical Camelot was a huge hit on Broadway when it premiered, so it makes sense it would ultimately get a film adaptation. It’s a stirring, melancholy, and beautiful rumination on the transience of utopia, focusing on the fateful affair between Lancelot and Guinevere and how this brings King Arthur’s dream crashing down into bloody ruin. Featuring a great cast, including Richard Harris, Vanessa Redgrave, and Franco Nero, it does justice to the play and to T.H. White’s The Once and Future King, upon which both the film and the musical are based.

The 1950s was a particularly fertile period for historical dramas of various kinds, and some of the most notable of these were set in the Middle Ages. In 1953, audiences were swept up in the grandeur and adventure of MGM’s Knights of the Round Table, which had a star-studded cast, including Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, and Mel Ferrer. It does take some notable liberties with the legend — Mordred and Morgan are lovers rather than son and mother, for example — but it nevertheless paints an evocative portrait of the tragic love triangle which forms among Arthur, Lancelot, and Guinevere. Only the 1950s studios could produce this type of historical pageant.

The 1981 film Excalibur takes a unique look at the King Arthur legend. Part historical epic and part sword and sorcery film, it hits all of the notes one expects of this type of story, including Arthur pulling the sword from the stone, his ill-fated affair with his sister, Morgana, and his death at the hands of his son/nephew Mordred. Richly and evocatively told, it takes some creative risks and, while certainly emphasizing the beauty and splendor of the Arthurian age, it also doesn’t shy away from the bleak and the ugly, particularly once Mordred begins to rebel against his father/uncle. 

Typically, King Arthur retellings involve a great deal of magic and veer into the realm of the fantastical. The 2004 film King Arthur,  on the other hand, tries to give a more historically-grounded approach to the material. While this makes it less glamorous than other representations, it still makes for a grand and gritty historical epic, focusing on Arthur and his fellow soldiers’ efforts to hold back the tide of Saxon invaders. It also features a stunning cast, including Clive Owen, Keira Knightley, and Stephen Dillane. The film’s visual and narrative bluntness makes it a refreshing change from the norm.

Based on the bestselling novel by Marion Zimmer Bradley, The Mists of Avalon was a TV miniseries produced by TNT. It focuses on the women behind the Arthurian legend, including Viviane, Moiraine, Morgause, and Gwenhwyfar. Though more condensed than the novel, it is still an epic feminist retelling, with powerful characters rendered in all their frustrating complexity. Bradley’s story about the decline of the old pagan ways and the rise of Christianity in the early Middle Ages continues to resonate with many readers and viewers, and this version of her book is a fine adaptation. 

While it might have only lasted one season, Starz’s Camelot  boasted a truly exemplary cast, including Joseph Fiennes, Eva Green, and Jamie Campbell Bower. Though it takes some liberties with the established bones of the story, it stays true to its essence. Just as importantly, it also excels at giving the King Arthur story a stronger grounding in historical authenticity than is usually the case with on-screen adaptations. And, while it might lack the over-the-top aesthetics of Spartacus (the other major success for the network), it more than makes up for this with its story about politics and power in the Dark Ages.