If you’ve played through Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2 and are craving some more medieval narratives that are gritty and realistic, then there are plenty of movies worth watching, especially from the last few years.

A lot of the movies set in that era deal with things like political struggles, succession, or the brutal reality of life in those time periods, especially for the non-noble, commonfolk. Most of these movies are very atmospheric as well, with a lot of attention to detail paid to recreate the look of that time.

The King

2019

This historical drama tells the story of Henry V, a young ruler who finds himself leading England through one of its most famous battles, the Battle of Agincourt, although reluctantly. Timothée Chalamet plays Henry, and the character shares more than just a name with Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s protagonist, as both characters have to deal with more responsibilities than they can handle.

The movie also stars Robert Pattinson, who plays an over-the-top French prince. If you liked Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2’s royal nature that dealt with various kings and heirs, you’ll find a lot to enjoy with this movie. It presents all of that period’s brutality in a very serious form, including the pressures of ruling a kingdom.

Kingdom Of Heaven (Director’s Cut)

2005

Kingdom of Heaven follows Balian, played by Orlando Bloom, who becomes a knight and gets caught up in the Crusades. Just like Henry in Kingdom Come: Deliverance, Balian also has a background as a blacksmith. The movie also has some impressive large-scale battles and political intrigue.

The original, theatrical cut received mixed to positive reviews, but the Director’s Cut added 45 minutes of extra scenes that really expanded the narrative and characters, and made the movie much more concise. This version was also met with extremely positive acclaim, so it’s best to watch this version instead of the theatrical one.

Braveheart

1995

Braveheart is very much a medieval classic at this point, and one of the most famous stories set in that period. It tells the story of a Scottish warrior who leads a rebellion against the English. The movie is packed with moments and speeches that have become a part of pop culture.

Sure, the movie isn’t the most historically accurate, and it takes plenty of creative liberties, something that has been a focus of many discussions online. But despite that, it’s still a great movie with a classic feel to it.

The Green Knight

2021

The Green Knight isn’t a traditional medieval movie at all; it’s more of a surreal journey based on the Arthurian legend. Dev Patel plays the character of Sir Gawain, who sets out on a quest to prove himself against the mysterious Green Knight. Along the way, he faces all kinds of strange and haunting challenges.

The movie is very atmospheric, with some great fantasy visuals that you won’t find in most grounded medieval works. It can be a bit of a slow burn at times, but there’s a lot of symbolism and underlying meanings that make it a worthwhile watch.

Macbeth

2015

Shakespeare’s classic tragedy received yet another adaptation in 2015, but this one might just be the most visually striking. It stars Michael Fassbender and Marion Cotillard, and obviously, the story follows a Scottish lord who after receiving a prophecy from three witches, descends into madness as he tries to maintain his power.

This version of the classic story is pretty violent, with a lot of shots that make it look like a painting. There’s a great character study here, exploring themes of power and ambition, and the medieval world of Scotland has a decent bit in common with Kingdom Come: Deliverance’s world.

The Northman

2022

If you want a medieval revenge story, The Northman is absolutely worth watching. It takes place in the Viking era of the medieval time period and follows a Viking prince who sets out on a revenge quest to avenge his father’s murder.

Directed by Robert Eggers, the movie deals with the harsh realities of medieval life. Alexander Skarsgård leads the cast, alongside previous Eggers collaborators such as Anya Taylor-Joy and Willem Dafoe. There’s a lot of attention given to historical details. The way people live, the way they fight, it all feels very grounded and realistic.

Monty Python And The Holy Grail

1975

Not a lot of comedies have a medieval setting, so the Monty Python series really stands out. The Holy Grail is a cult classic movie, which is the first in a trilogy that parodies medieval tales, particularly the legend of King Arthur.

It’s full of absurd jokes and characters, although the humor might not be everyone’s cup of tea. Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, similarly, has some humor in its side content that pokes fun at certain characters and nonsense of this time period.

The Last Duel

2021

Ridley Scott directed another fantastic medieval epic with The Last Duel. The film tells the true story of a trial by combat in 14th-century France, starring Matt Damon, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck, and Jodie Comer. The movie shows these events from three different character perspectives.

Much like Kingdom Come: Deliverance 2, this movie doesn’t romanticize medieval times, and explores the disingenuous aspects of it. It shows the class struggles and the ways power can be abused by the nobles. The duel itself is one of the most intense and realistic fights in a medieval movie, and it ends on a high note.