The best fantasy medieval films demonstrate why viewers have always enjoyed stories with swords, castles, knights, and occasionally sorcery. The best medieval fantasy movies need enormous budgets to support the intricate sets, costumes, and props needed, constant research to keep them from becoming historical, and frequently a delicate balance between entertaining a contemporary audience and remaining loyal to history. It’s undoubtedly not an easy task. The best medieval films have achieved remarkable success, both critically and commercially, in spite of the challenges. The greatest medieval fantasy films, such as A Knight’s Tale, Henry V, and The Name of the Rose, are essential viewing for every cinema enthusiast.
Epic tales of glory on the battlefield and glorified retellings of historical events thrive during the medieval era. As popular as high fantasy stories based in imaginary worlds are, they shouldn’t completely replace the medieval setting—despite how amazing shows like Game of Thrones or The Lord of the Rings may be. However, here are a few of the best medieval fantasy movies that are well worth seeing, spanning from the early years of filmmaking in the first half of the 20th century to the massive blockbusters of the present.
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6. The Green Knight (2021)
The Green Knight, which came out in 2021, went largely unnoticed when it first came out, but it will probably grow to be a cherished favorite among medieval film enthusiasts in the years to come. In the film, Dev Patel plays the young, aspirational knight Gawain, who, after being challenged by the enigmatic Green Knight, sets off on a mission to prove his nobility. The Green Knight was the recipient of numerous honors and nominations, including Dev Patel’s win of the Critics Choice Super Award.
The poem “Sir Gawain and the Green Knight” is adapted in The Green Knight, which retains the best medieval fantasy movies inspiring the original. But it’s also a medieval story that dissects hero legends and has an astounding 89% Rotten Tomatoes rating. The Green Knight has received a great deal of praise from critics for its adaptation of the original work, with many praising the way it takes the poem and transforms it into an amazingly contemporary story structure.
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5. Excalibur (1981)
A heightened historical reality is combined with the mythology of classic tales in some of the best medieval films. This is the case with John Boorman’s epic 1981 Excalibur, one of the best medieval fantasy movies, a fantastic fantasy adventure. This is a narrative about King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table, as the title would imply, and it continues to be a very original interpretation of the classic Arthurian mythology.
With Nigel Terry playing Arthur, Patrick Stewart playing Leondegrance, Liam Neeson playing Gawain, and Helen Mirren playing Morgana, the ensemble received high appreciation. Excalibur was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Cinematography category, while Boorman took home a prize from the 1981 Cannes Film Festival. Despite being several decades old, Excalibur still holds up well when compared to numerous contemporary medieval and King Arthur-themed motion pictures as one of the best medieval fantasy movies ever made.
4. Outlaw King (2018)
Braveheart nearly feels like a spiritual sequel to Outlaw King, a medieval Netflix original film. Both are considered to be among the best medieval fantasy movies; Chris Pine plays Robert the Bruce in Outlaw King. Outlaw King depicts Robert initiating his insurrection right away upon William Wallace’s passing, despite not being entirely true to historical events. In addition to Chris Pine, the cast of Outlaw King features notable actors including Florence Pugh and Aaron Taylor-Johnson.
Though the revolt actually began a year later, this was nevertheless a solid sequel—if not quite as wonderful as Braveheart. Many people were still discussing the conclusion of Outlaw King long after the credits had rolled. Outlaw King will undoubtedly appeal to aficionados of the genre who enjoy the best medieval fantasy movies for the clash and clangs of steel-on-steel and armored warriors, as critics praised the excellence of its numerous action sequences.
3. The Last Duel (2021)
The Last Duel, despite being one of the worst box office failures of 2021, tells the narrative of a real-life incident that was lost to history yet has astonishing relevance to contemporary culture. The picture, written and directed by Ridley Scott, stars Adam Driver and Jodie Comer in a highly regarded main role and also includes performances by Matt Damon and Ben Affleck.
The Last Knight is narrated from the viewpoints of two knights, a woman, and an awful event that culminates in a lethal conflict in one of the best medieval fantasy movies of all time. The film received an 85% Rotten Tomatoes rating because of the performances, the way the story was told, and the thrilling conclusion fight—even though it was ignored and Affleck received an unfair Razzie nomination.
2. A Knight’s Tale (2001)
A Knight’s Tale stands out as a medieval film that was able to break free from the confines of its genre and find a considerably larger audience than most. A Knight’s Tale is among the best medieval fantasy movies that solidified the late star’s status as a leading man, even though fans are most familiar with him as The Dark Knight‘s Joker. In the film, Ledger plays William Thatcher, a guy who poses as a knight and advances up the ranks by competing in jousting matches.
Unlike many of the best medieval fantasy films, this immensely entertaining picture is much more comic and revolves around the premise that everyone may select their own destiny. Rather than obsessing over historical details and authenticity, the film played with contemporary music in an enjoyable and surprising way. A Knight’s Tale was well-received by audiences and is now regarded by many as a popular and accessible medieval comedy, despite the fact that it didn’t win many awards at the time.
1. Valhalla Rising (2009)- Best Medieval Fantasy Movies
Although there aren’t many films in the Viking genre, Valhalla Rising is one example of why this specific era of history provides for some of the best medieval fantasy movies. In this film directed by Nicolas Winding Refn, Mads Mikkelsen gives one of his most intense performances. Critics’ opinions on the film were divided; while some thought it took itself too seriously, others had nothing but positive things to say about it. These concerns do, however, show that it is likely to appeal more to ardent medieval movie lovers than to general audiences.
Valhalla Rising, buoyed by the Scottish countryside in which it was filmed, is well worth seeing for fans of Mikkelsen as well as anyone who can settle down with Refn. The movie, which is quite different from the director’s Drive, follows a little child and a Norse warrior named One-Eye as they journey with Christian crusaders in 1096 AD in one of the best medieval fantasy movies now streaming.