Everyone knows the story of King Arthur and his legendary sword Excalibur. But not everyone has seen the 1981 medieval fantasy epic, Excalibur. Loosely based on the 15th-century Arthurian romance Le Morte d'Arthur, Excalibur retells the legend of King Arthur and his knights of the Round Table, capturing their efforts to unite a kingdom that's under threat by dark forces.

Excalibur was a commercial success that garnered positive reviews. But in the years since its release, it's gone largely forgotten. Here are 8 reasons to revisit this forgotten gem from the .

Excalibur is notable for launching the careers of multiple actors, and one of them was Gabriel Byrne. This name may not immediately ring a bell, but you're definitely familiar with Byrne's work. He's most famous for his role as Dean Keaton in 1995's crime thriller classic, The Usual Suspects. He also appeared in the Coen brothers' classic Miller's Crossing, as well as 1994's Little Women and 2005's Assault on Precinct 13.

Byrne may not have snagged any of these roles if it wasn't for Excalibur. Prior to 1981, he worked largely as a stage actor. Excalibur was his film debut. He played Uther Pendragon, the father of the future King Arthur.

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Ciarán Hinds is another name that you may not recognize, though you're definitely familiar with his work. He's perhaps best known for playing Mance Rayder in Game of Thrones, Aberforth Dumbledore in Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2, and most recently, the Dark Wizard in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Hinds also appeared in other notable films, such as Road to Perdition, The Phantom of the Opera, There Will Be Blood, and In Bruges.

He also lent his voice to play the characters Steppenwolf in Justice League and Grand Pabbie in the Frozen film series. Hinds' resume goes on and on, but it all started with Excalibur. It was his film debut, effectively launching his prolific career. Hinds played King Lot, a British monarch in Arthurian legend.

Patrick Stewart is famous for portraying iconic characters. He plays Captain Jean-Luc Picard in multiple Star Trek films and TV shows and Professor Charles Xavier, also known as Professor X, in the X-Men film franchise. But long before that, Stewart was known primarily as a stage actor. He had appeared in several films before 1981, though none of them were major releases.

Excalibur was the actor's biggest film at that time. He portrayed Leodegrance, Guinevere's father, and his role in the film helped launch his career and establish him as a Hollywood actor.

It's always interesting to learn the favorite movie of a prominent filmmaker. What was the film that inspired them, moved them, and forged their career path? In the case of director Zack Snyder, the answer is Excalibur. If you're a fan of modern cinema, then you're undoubtedly familiar with this filmmaker. Snyder rose to prominence in 2004 with his directorial debut, Dawn of the Dead. Since then, he's become largely known for stylistic blockbusters and big-budget comic book adaptations, such as 300, Watchmen, Man of Steel, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and Justice League.

Love him or hate him, there's no denying that Snyder is a pioneer of modern cinema and one of the biggest filmmakers in Hollywood right now. In a 2009 interview with Newsweek, Snyder called Excalibur his favorite film and described it as "the perfect meeting of movies and mythology", making this a must-watch for any Zack Snyder fanboys. Speaking of directors..

Excalibur was directed by renowned filmmaker, John Boorman. He's best known for 1972's controversial thriller, Deliverance, as well as 1977's Exorcist II: The Heretic. While he may not be as famous as Christopher Nolan or Martin Scorsese, Boorman is a highly celebrated filmmaker.

He's received five Academy Award nominations, twice for Best Director. Boorman was also awarded the BAFTA Fellowship for lifetime achievement from the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and received a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth II for his services to cinema. If you happen to be a fan of Boorman's work, then Excalibur is the film for you.

Upon its release, Excalibur was praised for its impressive cinematography by film critics, including the iconic Roger Ebert. Although he had issues with the film, Ebert claimed that Excalibur was "wonderful to look at."

Excalibur won the award for Best Artistic Contribution at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival and received an Oscar nomination for Best Cinematography. Although it didn't win, the film's stunning visuals continue to be one of the film's biggest draws.

Liam Neeson is a Hollywood treasure. He's starred in countless iconic films over the years, such as Schindler's List, Taken, Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace, Batman Begins, and, of course, Excalibur. Although it wasn't his first onscreen appearance, Excalibur was his Hollywood debut and only his third film role ever.

Neeson played the character Gawain, one of the Knights of the Round Table and King Arthur's nephew. During production, Neeson began dating one of his costars -- Helen Mirren, who played Morgan le Fay in Excalibur. His role in this film marked the beginning of a long and fruitful movie career for Liam Neeson.

Excalibur has a little something for everyone. It's action, fantasy, mythology, romance, and an epic all rolled into one film. Upon its release, Excalibur was lauded for its efficient blend of genres. Variety, in particular, called the film, "a near-perfect blend of action, romance, fantasy and philosophy."

Its striking visual style, courtesy of director John Boorman, brought a dreamlike intensity to the Arthurian legend. The film also helped launch the careers of several now-famous actors, including Liam Neeson, Helen Mirren, and Patrick Stewart. With its sweeping score and operatic tone, Excalibur remains one of the most ambitious and visually arresting adaptations of Arthurian lore ever made.

This is the number one reason to revisit Excalibur in 2025. There have been many film adaptations of the legend of King Arthur over the years, from Disney’s The Sword in the Stone to Guy Ritchie’s critically panned King Arthur: Legend of the Sword.

Excalibur is regarded as one of the best adaptations of the Arthurian legend by numerous film critics. It fires on all cylinders, from its stunning visuals to its stellar cast, particularly Nicol Williamson’s memorable take on Merlin.