Historical Movies The Best Medieval Movies  

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List Rules Vote up all of the best movies that feature medieval times or themes.

What are the best medieval movies? Kings, sword fights, jousting, horses... fire, pillaging, knights, people with English accents saying "m'lady" and "ye"... This is a list of all the greatest medieval movies ever made, from movies about The Dark Ages to Renaissance films. Many of these may also be considered to be movies about knights. The best movies that take place in the Middle Ages are listed and can be sorted by categories. What films take place in medieval times?

They can also be imported into your own list of medieval films. For more interesting movie lists, check out the samurai movies, gangster films, and Holocaust movies lists.

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Braveheart is listed (or ranked) 1 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Braveheart Mel Gibson, Sophie Marceau, Brendan Gleeson Braveheart is a 1995 epic historical medieval war drama film directed by and starring Mel Gibson. Gibson portrays William Wallace, a 13th-century Scottish warrior who led the Scots in the First ...more

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Kingdom of Heaven is listed (or ranked) 2 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Kingdom of Heaven Eva Green, Liam Neeson, Edward Norton Kingdom of Heaven is a 2005 epic historical drama directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by William Monahan. It stars Orlando Bloom, Eva Green, Jeremy Irons, David Thewlis, Brendan ...more

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Monty Python and the Holy Grai... is listed (or ranked) 3 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Monty Python and the Quest for the Holy Grail John Cleese, Terry Gilliam, Eric Idle Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a 1975 British comedy film written and performed by the comedy group of Monty Python, and directed by Gilliam and Jones. It was conceived during the hiatus ...more

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The Name of the Rose is listed (or ranked) 4 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
The Name of the Rose Sean Connery, Christian Slater, Ron Perlman The Name of the Rose is a 1986 film directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud, based on the book of the same name by Umberto Eco. Sean Connery is the Franciscan friar William of Baskerville and Christian ...more

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Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is listed (or ranked) 5 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Tirichin Amazigh added Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves Morgan Freeman, Sean Connery, Kevin Costner Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves is a 1991 American-British adventure film directed by Kevin Reynolds. The film stars Kevin Costner as Robin Hood, Morgan Freeman as Azeem, Christian Slater as Will ...more

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Excalibur is listed (or ranked) 6 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Excalibur Liam Neeson, Helen Mirren, Patrick Stewart Excalibur is a 1981 dramatic fantasy film directed, produced and co-written by John Boorman that retells the legend of King Arthur and the knights of the Round Table. Based solely on the 15th ...more

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A Knight's Tale is listed (or ranked) 7 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
A Knight's Tale Heath Ledger, Paul Bettany, Shannyn Sossamon A Knight's Tale is a 2001 medieval adventure comedy-drama film written, produced, and directed by Brian Helgeland. The film stars Heath Ledger, Shannyn Sossamon, Mark Addy, Alan Tudyk, Rufus ...more

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Gladiator is listed (or ranked) 8 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
CherylMakingMovesFoster added Gladiator Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Michael Sheen Gladiator is a 2000 American-British epic historical drama film directed by Ridley Scott, starring Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Ralf Möller, Oliver Reed, Djimon Hounsou, ...more

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King Arthur is listed (or ranked) 9 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
King Arthur Keira Knightley, Clive Owen, Ray Winstone King Arthur is a 2004 action adventure film directed by Antoine Fuqua and written by David Franzoni. It stars Clive Owen as the title character, Ioan Gruffudd as Lancelot, and Keira Knightley as ...more

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A Man for All Seasons is listed (or ranked) 10 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
A Man for All Seasons John Hurt, Orson Welles, Vanessa Redgrave A Man for All Seasons is a 1966 British biographical drama film based on Robert Bolt's play of the same name about Sir Thomas More. It was released on 12 December 1966. Paul Scofield, who had ...more

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Henry V is listed (or ranked) 11 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Henry V Christian Bale, Emma Thompson, Judi Dench Henry V is a 1989 British drama film adapted for the screen and directed by Kenneth Branagh, based on William Shakespeare's play of the same name about King Henry V of England. The film stars ...more

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Robin Hood: Men in Tights is listed (or ranked) 12 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
but chickens double d added Robin Hood: Men in Tights Patrick Stewart, Mel Brooks, Dave Chappelle Robin Hood: Men in Tights is a 1993 French-American musical adventure comedy film and a parody of the Robin Hood story. Produced and directed by Mel Brooks, the film stars Cary Elwes, Richard ...more

The Best War Movies Ever

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The 13th Warrior is listed (or ranked) 13 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
The 13th Warrior Omar Sharif, Antonio Banderas, Tony Curran The 13th Warrior is a 1999 American historical fiction action film based on the novel Eaters of the Dead by Michael Crichton and is a loose retelling of the tale of Beowulf. It stars Antonio ...more

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The Princess Bride is listed (or ranked) 14 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
erich-henson added The Princess Bride Billy Crystal, Robin Wright, André the Giant The Princess Bride is a 1987 American romantic comedy fantasy adventure film directed and co-produced by Rob Reiner. It was adapted by William Goldman from his 1973 novel of the same name. The ...more

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Ivanhoe is listed (or ranked) 15 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
OCD Man added Ivanhoe Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Fontaine, George Sanders Ivanhoe is a 1952 American cinema film in color, directed by Richard Thorpe and produced by Pandro S. Berman for MGM. The cast features Robert Taylor, Elizabeth Taylor, Joan Fontaine, George ...more

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Highlander is listed (or ranked) 16 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
but chickens double d added Highlander Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, Michael Hayes Highlander is a 1986 British-American cult fantasy film directed by Russell Mulcahy and based on a story by Gregory Widen. It stars Christopher Lambert, Sean Connery, Clancy Brown, and Roxanne ...more

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The Adventures of Robin Hood is listed (or ranked) 17 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
but chickens double d added The Adventures of Robin Hood Olivia de Havilland, Errol Flynn, Claude Rains The Adventures of Robin Hood is a 1938 American swashbuckler film directed by Michael Curtiz and William Keighley, and starring Errol Flynn, Olivia de Havilland, Basil Rathbone, and Claude ...more

The Best Dystopian and Near Future Movies

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The Vikings is listed (or ranked) 18 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
OCD Man added The Vikings Kirk Douglas, Janet Leigh, Ernest Borgnine The Vikings is a 1958 adventure film directed by Richard Fleischer and filmed in Technicolor. It was produced by and stars Kirk Douglas. It is based on the novel The Viking by Edison Marshall, ...more

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The Lion in Winter is listed (or ranked) 19 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
The Lion in Winter Anthony Hopkins, Katharine Hepburn, Peter O'Toole The Lion in Winter is a 1968 historical drama film made by Avco Embassy Pictures, based on the Broadway play by James Goldman. It was directed by Anthony Harvey and produced by Joseph E. Levine ...more

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Dragonheart is listed (or ranked) 20 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
JoshSimmons added Dragonheart Dennis Quaid, Julie Christie, Jason Isaacs Dragonheart is a 1996 American fantasy adventure film directed by Rob Cohen. It stars Dennis Quaid, David Thewlis, Pete Postlethwaite, Dina Meyer, and the voice of Sean Connery. It was nominated ...more

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First Knight is listed (or ranked) 21 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
First Knight Sean Connery, Richard Gere, Julia Ormond First Knight is a 1995 medieval film based on Arthurian legend, directed by Jerry Zucker. It stars Richard Gere as Lancelot, Julia Ormond as Guinevere, Sean Connery as King Arthur and Ben Cross ...more

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Beowulf is listed (or ranked) 22 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
RicLee added Beowulf Angelina Jolie, Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich Beowulf is a 2007 American motion capture computer-animated fantasy film directed by Robert Zemeckis and written by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary, inspired by the Old English epic poem of the same ...more

30 Real People Behind Classic Characters

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Ladyhawke is listed (or ranked) 23 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Ladyhawke Michelle Pfeiffer, Matthew Broderick, Alfred Molina Ladyhawke is a 1985 fantasy film directed by Richard Donner, starring Matthew Broderick, Rutger Hauer, and Michelle Pfeiffer.

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Vikings is listed (or ranked) 24 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Dimos Dicoudis added Vikings Anton Adasinsky, Aleksandr Armer, Vilen Babichev Vikings (History, 2013) is a historical drama television series created by Michael Hirst. A farmer (Travis Fimmel) rises to fame by successful raids into England, and eventually becomes a ...more

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El Cid is listed (or ranked) 25 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
james-m-lengyel added El Cid Sophia Loren, Charlton Heston, Herbert Lom El Cid is a 1961 historical epic film, a romanticized story of the life of the Christian Castilian knight Don Rodrigo Díaz de Vivar, called "El Cid", who, in the 11th century, ...more

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Arn – The Knight Templar is listed (or ranked) 26 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
RazvanPop added Arn – The Knight Templar Stellan Skarsgård, Bibi Andersson, Vincent Pérez Arn – The Knight Templar is a 2007 epic film based on Jan Guillou's trilogy about the fictional Swedish Knight Templar Arn Magnusson. The film was released in December 2007 and the sequel, Arn – ...more

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The Sword in the Stone is listed (or ranked) 27 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Sword in the Stone Alan Napier, Sebastian Cabot, Norman Alden The Sword in the Stone is a 1963 American animated musical fantasy comedy film produced by Walt Disney and released to theaters on December 25, 1963 by Buena Vista Distribution. The 18th film in ...more

The Most Horrific Types of Medieval Torture

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Ironclad is listed (or ranked) 28 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Vitoruk added Ironclad Kate Mara, Paul Giamatti, Brian Cox Ironclad is a 2011 adventure film directed by Jonathan English. Written by English and Erick Kastel, based on a screenplay by Stephen McDool, the cast includes James Purefoy, Brian Cox, Vladimir ...more

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Camelot is listed (or ranked) 29 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Camelot Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Harris, Franco Nero Camelot is a 1967 film adaptation of Camelot by Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. Richard Harris stars as King Arthur, Vanessa Redgrave as Guenevere, and Franco Nero as Lancelot. The film was ...more

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Hamlet is listed (or ranked) 30 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Hamlet Mel Gibson, Helena Bonham Carter, Glenn Close Hamlet is a 1990 drama film based on the Shakespearean tragedy of the same name directed by Franco Zeffirelli and starring Mel Gibson as the eponymous character. The film also features Glenn ...more

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Becket is listed (or ranked) 31 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Becket Peter O'Toole, Richard Burton, John Gielgud Becket is a 1964 British-American dramatic film adaptation of the play Becket or the Honour of God by Jean Anouilh made by Hal Wallis Productions and released by Paramount Pictures. It was ...more

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Macbeth is listed (or ranked) 32 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Dimos Dicoudis added Macbeth Francesca Annis, Keith Chegwin, Jon Finch Macbeth is a 1971 British-American film adaptation of William Shakespeare's tragedy Macbeth. Directed by Roman Polanski, it retells the story of the Highland lord who becomes King of Scotland ...more

The Best Roman Movies

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Robin Hood is listed (or ranked) 33 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Dimos Dicoudis added Robin Hood Cate Blanchett, Russell Crowe, Mark Strong Robin Hood is a 2010 action film written by Brian Helgeland and directed by Ridley Scott. Robin Hood, directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe and Cate Blanchett will open the 2010 ...more

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Henry V is listed (or ranked) 34 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
but chickens double d added Henry V Laurence Olivier, Robert Newton, Leslie Banks Henry V is a 1944 British Technicolor film adaptation of William Shakespeare's play of the same name. The on-screen title is The Chronicle History of King Henry the Fift with His Battell Fought ...more

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Army of Darkness is listed (or ranked) 35 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Army of Darkness Bridget Fonda, Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi Army of Darkness is a 1992 American dark fantasy action comedy film directed by Sam Raimi. It is the third installment of The Evil Dead franchise. The film was written by Sam Raimi and his ...more

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The Pillars of the Earth is listed (or ranked) 36 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Dimos Dicoudis added The Pillars of the Earth Hayley Atwell, Donald Sutherland, Eddie Redmayne The Pillars of the Earth is an eight-part 2010 TV miniseries, adapted from Ken Follett's novel of the same name. It debuted in the U.S. on Starz and in Canada on The Movie Network/Movie Central ...more

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Ever After is listed (or ranked) 37 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Ever After: A Cinderella Story Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, Dougray Scott Ever After is a 1998 American romantic comedy-drama film inspired by the fairy tale Cinderella, directed by Andy Tennant and starring Drew Barrymore, Anjelica Huston, and Dougray Scott. The ...more

The Biggest Turn Ons in a Person

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The Seventh Seal is listed (or ranked) 38 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
The Seventh Seal Max von Sydow, Bibi Andersson, Gunnar Björnstrand The Seventh Seal is a 1957 Swedish drama-fantasy film written and directed by Ingmar Bergman. Set in Denmark during the Black Death, it tells of the journey of a medieval knight and a game of ...more

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Timeline is listed (or ranked) 39 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
JoshSimmons added Timeline Gerard Butler, Paul Walker, Michael Sheen Timeline is a 2003 science fiction adventure film directed by Richard Donner, based on the novel of the same name by Michael Crichton. A team of present-day archaeologists are sent back in time ...more

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Merlin is listed (or ranked) 40 on the list The Best Medieval Movies
Merlin Lena Headey, Helena Bonham Carter, James Earl Jones Merlin is a television miniseries which originally aired in 1998 on NBC that retells the legend of King Arthur from the perspective of the wizard Merlin. Sam Neill stars in the title role in a ...more

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Cromwell Alec Guinness, Richard Harris, Timothy Dalton Cromwell is a British 1970 historical drama film, based on the life of Oliver Cromwell who led the Parliamentary forces during the English Civil War and, as Lord Protector, ruled Great Britain ...more

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RazvanPop added Alexander Nevsky Dmitri Orlov, Nikolay Cherkasov, Sergei Blinnikov Alexander Nevsky is a 1938 historical drama film directed by Sergei Eisenstein. It depicts the attempted invasion of Novgorod in the 13th century by the Teutonic Knights of the Holy Roman Empire ...more

The All-Time Worst People in History

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The Last Legion Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Ben Kingsley, Colin Firth The Last Legion is a 2007 film directed by Doug Lefler. Produced by Dino De Laurentiis and others, it is based on a 2003 Italian novel of the same name written by Valerio Massimo Manfredi. It ...more

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Dimos Dicoudis added Tristan and Isolde James Franco, Henry Cavill, Mark Strong Tristan & Isolde is a 2006 epic romantic drama film based on the medieval romantic legend of Tristan and Isolde. It was produced by Ridley Scott and Tony Scott, directed by Kevin Reynolds ...more

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Willow Val Kilmer, Kevin Pollak, Warwick Davis Willow is a 1988 American fantasy film directed by Ron Howard, produced and with a story by George Lucas, and starring Warwick Davis, Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, and Billy Barty. ...more

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Dimos Dicoudis added The Lion in Winter Patrick Stewart, Glenn Close, Jonathan Rhys Meyers The Lion in Winter is a 2003 made-for-television remake of the 1968 film of the same name. The remake was first shown on December 26, 2003 in the U.K. and premiered on U.S. television on May 26, ...more

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RazvanPop added Pathfinder Moon Bloodgood, Karl Urban, Clancy Brown Pathfinder is a 2007 American epic action film directed by Marcus Nispel, distributed by 20th Century Fox, and stars Karl Urban, Clancy Brown, Ralf Möller, Moon Bloodgood, Russell Means, ...more

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Dimos Dicoudis added Brave Emma Thompson, Craig Ferguson, Billy Connolly Brave is a 2012 American computer-animated fantasy comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Mark Andrews and Brenda Chapman, and ...more

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The Passion of Joan of Arc Antonin Artaud, Michel Simon, Renée Jeanne Falconetti The Passion of Joan of Arc is a 1928 silent French film based on the actual record of the trial of Joan of Arc. The film was directed by Carl Theodor Dreyer and stars Renée Jeanne ...more

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fireblade7 added The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc Milla Jovovich, Dustin Hoffman, John Malkovich The Messenger: The Story of Joan of Arc is a 1999 French historical drama film directed by Luc Besson. The film stars Milla Jovovich, John Malkovich, Faye Dunaway and Dustin Hoffman. The ...more