Knight Movies: The 23 Best and Most Popular Movies about Knights
Written by: Bobby McNeill
Table of Contents
Medieval movies with knights and kings have been popular not only since the series success of Game of Thrones. For as long as there have been movies, there has been a passion for the dark ages and true heroes. This film genre offers more than just strong men in shining armor. A good chivalry movie should provide us with exemplary heroes, an authentic medieval atmosphere, and a rousing storyline.
It puts us in a different time and keeps us rooting for the whole movie. Good knight movies simply have to be set in the dark Middle Ages; we want to see dirty landscapes and snorting horses. We want to feel the cold and hear the armor rattle. If then still crashing sword fights are offered, the fun is complete.
With these 23 films, you’re guaranteed to get in the mood and get everything you could want from a good knight movie.
1. Kingdom of Heaven (2005)
The film is loosely based on the life of Balian von Ibelin. Ridley Scott directed the historical epic with a great star cast. In addition to Orlando Bloom, who takes the lead role, the film also stars Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Marton Csokas, and Edward Norton.
Set during the Crusades in 12. In the second half of the twentieth century, Knight Godfrey returns to France. His illegitimate son, the blacksmith Balian, mourns his wife and deceased child. Godfrey offers him to travel to Jerusalem together and become his heir. Once in Jerusalem, Balian is caught between two fronts and tries in vain to keep the peace between Christians and Muslims.
2. Braveheart (1995)
The film by Mel Gibson, who also played the leading role, won five Oscars. Among others, for best director and best film. A grandiose spectacle with epic battles and fights.
This is not the only reason why Braveheart is one of the best knight movies of all time. The tragic story of William Wallace thrilled millions of fans worldwide. The plot is loosely based on a poem by Blind Harry.
Towards the end of the thirteenth century, Scotland is conquered by the English King Edward I. dominates. The people suffer under the rule. William Wallace wants to hold back at first. But when his wife is raped and killed, he swears for revenge. Together with a growing number of Scots, William Wallace declares war on the English throne.
3. A Knight’s Tale (2001)
Only nobles are allowed to become knights and participate in tournaments. William Thatcher, the son of a roofer, dreamed of becoming a knight from an early age. He becomes the squire of Sir Hector. When he dies unexpectedly, William sees his chance and becomes a knight. From now on, he takes part in tournaments under the name “Sir Ulrich von Liechtenstein” and soon becomes a celebrated knight. William, however, not only wins tournaments but also manages to conquer the heart of Miss Jocelyn.
Classic rock songs accompany the whole thing; this is how the movie stands out from other knight movies.
4. King Arthur (2004)
With the remake of the famous saga of Arthur and his Round Table, they tried to remain historically accurate. Director Antoine Fuqua (Training Day) directed this version based primarily on archaeological finds. No magic, no enchanted sword, but human protagonists and realistic fights and battles.
In the early Middle Ages: The Roman Empire disintegrates. The remnants of Rome retreat. The Saxon army under King Cedric (Stellan Skarsgård) invades England. No one seems to be a match for the mighty army. Arthur (Clive Owen) and his men must ally with Merlin and the Celts to stand against the enemy.
This colorful film from 1938 is already over 80 years old, but it is still worth watching. Produced at the highest level. Fascinating action and energetic heroes, above all Errol Flynn as Robin Hood, can still thrill fans today.
1191 in England. King Richard leads the Crusades, and his return home is uncertain. His brother Prince John mercilessly exploits his newfound position. Together with the Sheriff of Nottingham, he subjugates the people and takes everything they own from them. Sir Robin of Locksley (Errol Flynn), known to all as Robin Hood, declares war on the real villains. With a group of stalwart heroes, he steals from the rich and gives back to the poor.
6. Gladiator (2000)
Gladiator” won over 40 different film awards in 2001, including five Oscars.
A former Roman General sets out to take revenge on the corrupt emperor who murdered his family and sent him into slavery.
Gladiator is a modern filmed historical drama. The great costumes and epic imagery made the film a great success. The unforgettable film music was composed by Hans Zimmer.
7. Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1976)
This comedy does not stick to the original at all. The Arthurian legend is skillfully poked fun at here, and gag after gag ensues. Monty Python delivers here a somewhat different answer to knight movies that are often taken too seriously.
King Arthur is searching for allies to find the Holy Grail and free England from the enemy. What he finds is a bunch of idiots. And so the project seems doomed to failure.
You simply have to see this parody! The comedy troupe was also responsible for films like “The Life of Brian” and “The Meaning of Life.
8. Excalibur (1981)
Based on the Arthurian legend, this epic fantasy hit did everything right. With a budget of eleven million dollars, the Irish production grossed 35 million and became a complete success. At the same time, this epic served as the start of the careers of Helen Mirren, Liam Neeson, and Patrick Stewart. Excalibur is dark, magical, and imaginative.
After Arthur pulls Excalibur from the stone, he becomes king and unites England. He brings his knights and friends to his round table. But Arthur’s half-sister Morgana is already plotting to take power from him. If you love knight movies, you can hardly avoid this masterpiece.
9. Highlander (1986)
There can be only one. Connor MacLeod (Christopher Lambert), born in 1518, seems to be immortal. After being killed in a battle, he rises from the dead again. Ramírez (Sean Connery), who is already over 2000 years old, trains Connor and makes him an immortal master of the sword. The grand finale took place in New York in 1985.
Highlander quickly became a cult film and spawned numerous sequels and TV series. But none could match the original’s success because there can be only one.
10. The Princess Bride (1987)
This beloved classic should definitely not be missing from the list of the best knight movies. With a lot of humor and fantasy, this film combines fairy tales and heroism.
This romantic comedy about knights is based on the novel of the same name by William Goldman. Incredibly, the script existed for almost 13 years before director Rob Reiner finally filmed it. The movie begins with a grandfather reading a fairy tale to his grandson. The stable boy Westley (Cary Elwes) wants to save his great love, princess Buttercup and goes on a spectacular adventure. The film has become very popular over the years.
11. The Last Duel (2021)
Jean de Carrouges is a knight at the French court of King Charles VI. He challenges Jacques Le Gris to a duel to save his wife’s honor. She accuses Jacque of rape, and since Jacque enjoys the patronage of his liege Pierre d’Alencon, Jean has no choice but to approach King Charles VI. to turn. The film consists of three chapters, in which we see the story from three different perspectives.
In the first chapter, we glimpse the relationships and politics in court. The second chapter depicts the crime and the struggle for justice. The last chapter finally shows us the final result.
Incidentally, the film was the first time Matt Damon and Ben Affleck wrote a screenplay after Good Will Hunting.
12. Willow (1988)
This film about knights is based on a story by George Lucas (Star Wars) and was directed by Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind). Willow was not an instant success, but it gained many fans over the years and became a cult among fantasy lovers.
Fearing a prophecy, the tyrannical Queen Bavmorda issues an order to kill all newborns. Warwick Davis plays a farmer who must save a baby from certain death. With some companions, including Madmartigan (Val Kilmer), he sets out to bring the baby out of enemies’ clutches.
13. Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves (1991)
Numerous film adaptations have already made it into the cinema. But hardly any Robin Hood stayed in our memory as Kevin Costner did. Morgan Freeman, Christian Slater, and Alan Rickman enrich the film with their characters and remain unforgettable.
With the help of Azeem (Morgan Freeman), Sir Robin Locksley escapes from captivity in Jerusalem. Together they travel to Robin’s home in England. In the absence of the king, the Sheriff of Nottingham (Alan Rickman) seized power and now subjugated the population. Together with a handful of allies, Robin Hood declares war on the sheriff.
14. The First Knight (1995)
Sean Connery is playing King Arthur in a movie Jerry Zucker (Ghost) directed. The probably most famous knight of the round table, Sir Lancelot, is embodied by Richard Gere. Lady Guinevere, the woman between the two men, is played by Julia Ormond. This version does without magic and concentrates on the story, especially the characters.
Lady Guinevere marries King Arthur to form an alliance against a common enemy. When Lancelot rescues them from a kidnapping, he is knighted and takes his place at the Round Table. The two fall in love, and the story takes its course.
15. Dragonheart (1996)
The film was a great success in its time. This was partly due to the great special effects that brought the dragon to life. Sean Connery gave Draco his unique voice. Even the actor’s facial expressions were transferred to the dragon’s face.
Sworn enemies become allies. The last dragon Draco and dragon hunter Bowen (Dennis Quaid), become friends as they battle a vicious king. They fight for justice and help the oppressed people. Lots of fantasy and action, plus a good dose of humor, make this film something special. Three sequels followed, but without Dennis Quaid and Sean Connery.
16. The 13. Warrior (1999)
This film is based on the novel “Those Who Eat Their Dead” by Michael Crichton. Starring Antonio Banderas.
Poet Ahmed Ibn Fahdlan has fallen from grace. He fell in love with the wrong woman and is now sent to the north as a punishment for contacting the people there. But supernatural beings threaten the peace there. A fortune teller prophesies that 13 warriors will stop the threat. But the thirteenth warrior must not come from the north.
17. Arn The Knight (2007)
The story about the national hero is the Swedish answer to the Kingdom of Heaven. The international production is the film adaptation of the first two volumes of the Götaland trilogy by Jan Guillou. The third part was told in the lesser-known sequel in 2008.
Arn Magnusson grows up in the monastery but is also taught the art of war. As a young man, he falls in love with the unmarried Cecilia, who has a child with him. Intrigues separate the two. Arn has to go to the Holy Land as a crusader, and Cecilia is forced to live in a monastery. Arn becomes a respected warrior who negotiates with Saladin and works for peace.
18. The Green Knight (2021)
An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, The Green Knight tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur’s reckless nephew, who embarks on a daring journey to confront the Green Knight, a gigantic, emerald-skinned stranger. Gawain must contend with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger.
The Green Knight honors and deconstructs its template equally, creating a captivating adventure that draws one under the spell of fantasy. For better or worse, the beautifully filmed The Green Knight is a different take on a classic story that takes its time and leaves plenty of room for interpretation.
19. Black Death (2010)
The German-British co-production is very different from other knight films. Through horror elements and the gloomy mood, the devastating extent of the black plague is transferred to the screen. The film is set in England but was shot mainly in Germany.
England, in the year 1348. The plague rages and fear spreads among the living. A young monk, played by Eddie Redmayne, learns of a village where people seem to be brought back to life. The knight Ulric (Sean Bean) wants to get to the bottom of the matter. What awaits them is even more terrifying than the plague itself. Rarely have the dark Middle Ages been staged so well.
20. Season of the Witch (2011)
The German title may be a bit misleading. The original title, “Season of the Witch,” is more like it. Because of history, this entertaining strip has rather little to do. Fantasy and magic, witches and demons are in the foreground here.
Nicolas Cage and Ron Perlman are former mime crusaders tasked with bringing a supposed witch to a remote abbey. Behmen (Nicolas Cage) is initially convinced of the girl’s innocence. But on their way, strange things happen, and an evil force seems to want to prevent the crusaders from surviving their journey in one piece. This shocker should not be taken too seriously.
21. The Outlaw King (2018)
Robert I. (Chris Pine), also known as Robert the Bruce, is crowned Scottish king. The English crown is full of wrath. Robert is forced into exile by a surprise attack. The English king now declares him an outlaw. But the outlaw king doesn’t let it get him down and tries to reclaim his country and save his people. A battle ignites between David and Goliath. A fight for revenge and justice.
This epic was written and directed by David Mackenzie. After premiering at the Toronto Film Festival, the film was released on Netflix.
22. The King (2019)
This Netflix-produced historical epic had its world premiere on 1—November 2019 in Venice. The lavish production and strong cast won over critics and viewers at home. Timothée Chalamet gives his character a lot of depth and carries the 140-minute film with a strong performance.
At his side as an advisor is Joel Edgerton, who also wrote the screenplay. Opposite him as a creep: Robert Pattinson as the French prince. The film is based on historical events and as many as three of Shakespeare’s classic plays.
The young King Henry V. (Timothée Chalamet) must assert himself on several fronts at once. Hardly anyone is convinced of him as king and believes he can establish peace. While he himself leads the war against France, enemies in his own ranks make their plans. Intrigue and battles, strong actors, and a good script make for a spectacular chivalric film.
23. Prince Valiant (1954)
This classic is based on the comics by Hal Foster. The title role is played by Robert Wagner and directed by Henry Hathaway. Not only the film but also the famous hairstyle went down in history. A lavish set, breathtaking sword fights and lots of charm make this classic one of the best knight movies of all time.
The Viking king Sligon overthrew the Christian king Aguar from the throne and took over the power. Aguiar’s son Prince Ironheart sets off for Camelot. He wants to ask Arthur and his knights for help and be accepted into the Round Table.
If you’ve seen all the movies on this list, you’re a true knight fan. Of course, you can always treat yourself to one of these 21 best knight movies and save them for yourself. Take no chances with these films, and you can look forward to a perfect medieval-knight spectacle time and time again. We hope you enjoy your 21 cinematic excursions into the world of heroes in armor.
