10 Best Camelot Movies & Shows Where King Arthur Wasn't The Hero (2024)

King Arthur, the Knights of the Round Table, and Camelot are all the words associated with the greatest genre of medieval literature — Arthurian romance, and naturally, it has been explored in cinema and on television for decades. While King Arthur is generally the hero of the hour, as in Guy Ritchie's box-office disaster King Arthur: Legend of the Sword or Walt Disney's classic The Sword in the Stone, he is not the only fascinating figure in the story. Arthur's knights, Merlin, Morgana, and other characters also have compelling origins, which have been depicted in quite a few movies and shows over the years.

Some Arthurian adaptations have stuck to their historical beginnings, setting the story in the medieval times; others have shifted the narrative into the modern age, retelling the same tale through a 21st-century perspective. From David Lowery's The Green Knight to the BBC's Merlin, Camelot-inspired p rojects exist in various forms and focus on different characters, and their main purpose is for Arthurian legends to live on and prosper so many centuries after their initial conception. A few of the most innovative adaptations do not depict King Arthur as the savior in shining armor at all, and he is merely a background character.

10 The Green Knight (2021)

Hero: Sir Gawain

Based on the 14th-century poem Sir Gawain and the Green Knight, David Lowery's movie did its source material creepy justice. The Green Knight followed Sir Gawain, played by Dev Patel, as he embarked on a quest to test his courage and repay his debt to the mysterious Green Knight whom he had beheaded to acquire his green axe. The film is truly as weird as it sounds, and yet somehow the director made it work, putting his eerie twist on this other-worldly story, which is worth a watch for anyone who can appreciate medieval fantasy in all its glory.

9 The Mists Of Avalon (2001)

Heroines: Morgaine, Igraine, Viviane, Morgause & Gwenhwyfar

Based on Marion Zimmer Bradley's novel of the same name, The Mists of Avalon centered on the women of the Arthurian saga. The miniseries dived in the familiar story, but the focus shifted to Morgaine, her mother Igraine, the Lady of the Lake Viviane, Morgause, and Gwenhwyfar. The masterful acting of the ensemble cast made the complex characters feel like real people instead of them being depicted as the stuff of legends, and the intricate storylines were easy to follow thanks to the show's unrushed pacing. The Mists of Avalon expertly shed light on the characters who were commonly forgotten in most Arthurian adaptations, but whose stories deserved to be told.

8 The Kid Who Would Be King (2019)

Hero: Alex (Original Character)

Arthurian legends are rather graphic, and their bloodshed-filled adaptations commonly follow suit. However, The Kid Who Would Be King broke the cycle and put the Camelot story into a child-friendly package. The movie revolved around Alex who came across Excalibur and quickly became a target for Morgana, who wanted to get her hands on the powerful sword. Thankfully, Alex's friends, who later became his knights, and Merlin were there to assist him in defeating Morgana and protecting Britain from her evil grasp. The Kid Who Would Be King is a family film, which manages to teach all the valuable lessons from Arthurian tales in a simple and entertaining way.

7 Merlin (2008)

Hero: Merlin

The BBC's hit show Merlin is perhaps the most famous adaptation of Arthurian legends on modern television, and for good reason. The series focused on the young warlock Merlin who must use his powers to protect Prince Arthur's life without him knowing about it, since his father, King Uther Pendragon, banned magic in Camelot. Merlin's Arthur and Merlin, portrayed by the power duo Colin Morgan and Bradley James, made the show appealing through the sheer power of their comedic chemistry, but the series also offered compelling storylines, well-developed characters, and lots of drama. In this adaptation, the villains' reasoning for turning to darker paths was especially fascinating to watch.

6 Knights Of The Round Table (1953)

Hero: Sir Lancelot

Richard Thorpe's Knights of the Round Table is a classic example of a thrilling historical film, made in the 20th century. Its star-studded cast, including Robert Taylor, Ava Gardner, and Mel Ferrer, made the movie an instant hit for all the right reasons. While the title explored the ages-old story of the love triangle between King Arthur, Guinevere, and Sir Lancelot, it also added a unique twist — Sir Lancelot was the hero of the story this time. In addition, the filmmaker made a bold creative choice by turning Mordred and Morgan into lovers instead of a mother and a son.

5 First Knight (1995)

Hero: Sir Lancelot

Jerry Zucker's First Knight, starring Richard Gere as the charming Sir Lancelot, took the same love triangle between King Arthur, Guinevere, who was a ruler of Lyonesse in this adaptation, and Sir Lancelot and made it a lot more romantic. In this retelling, Lancelot and Guinevere were the endgame couple, although it was tragedy that paved the way for their happy ending. The movie also famously avoided any magical elements, preferring to stick to simple and plain medieval history, and that worked out for the better in the end. First Knight may not be a masterpiece, but it features Richard Gere in his romantic hero era, and that is reason enough to switch on the film.

4 Cursed (2020)

Heroine: Nimue

Netflix's Cursed was another retelling of the legendary story, but this time through the eyes of Nimue, a young woman destined to become the Lady of the Lake. Katherine Langford's portrayal of such a complicated, tortured character was eye-opening, as it stood in stark contrast with her previous lead role as Hannah Baker in 13 Reasons Why. In this adaptation, Arthur was but a mercenary and Nimue's love interest, which added the much-needed layers to this inspired feminist perspective of the story. Unfortunately, Cursed was canceled after season 1 since it failed to capture the audiences' hearts in the way Netflix had hoped.

3 The Librarians (2014)

Hero: Sir Galahad

The Librarians, which ran for four seasons, was another contemporary take on Camelot legends, this time from a completely original angle. Eve Baird, Jacob Stone, Cassandra Cillian, Ezekiel Jones, and Jenkins, collectively known as the Librarians, were assigned to keep the world safe from hidden fantastical realms. Jenkins, however, turned out to be Sir Galahad, son of Lancelot, and at one point, he had to take down his father, whose sole purpose in life was to reverse Camelot's erasure and restore its reign. The Librarians isn't a run-of-the-mill Arthurian story, but it is worth a watch, at least for all its unexpected twists and turns.

2 The Sorcerer's Apprentice (2010)

Hero: Balthazar Blake (Original Character)

Nicolas Cage has truly done everything, and that includes an Arthurian movie. The Sorcerer's Apprentice was inspired by Next, another Nicolas Cage film. In the former, he played Merlin's apprentice, Balthazar Blake, who had to find Merlin's descendant and convince him to defeat Morgana and her followers. Dave Stutler, a 20-year-old physics major, was a reluctant student, but he ultimately learned to control his powers and assist Balthazar. The movie took immense liberties with Camelot legends, and it was panned by critics for being clichéd and predictable. Yet, as far as Arthurian adaptations go, The Sorcerer's Apprentice offers an original angle to the story of Merlin's downfall.

1 Excalibur (1981)

Hero: Excalibur

While Excalibur, which entered production as an adaptation of The Lord of the Rings, contained all the familiar elements of King Arthur's story, it didn't really center on the life of Camelot's ruler. Instead, it followed the legendary, mythical sword Excalibur through the ages and showcased how it impacted the lives of Arthur, Merlin, Morgana, and other prominent characters. Excalibur was a medieval fantasy of an epic scale, and it lived up to the original story's legacy. The film was rather magical itself, as it unexpectedly launched the careers of its cast, propelling Liam Neeson, Patrick Stewart, Gabriel Byrne, and Ciarán Hinds toward stardom.