Before Ralph Bakshi’s animated Lord of the Rings movie came out in 1978, British director John Boorman – known for Deliverance – tried to make a live-action version of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic fantasy stories. He couldn’t get the rights to the books, so instead he directed a film based on a well-known legend, providing an early role for Liam Neeson in just his third movie.
I still can’t believe this movie came out over 45 years ago! Excalibur was filmed right in Ireland, and it’s so cool to think it helped launch the careers of actors like Gabriel Byrne and Ciarán Hinds. It’s become a real cult favorite over the years. What’s really interesting is that it actually started as a plan to make a live-action Lord of the Rings movie! But honestly, now I think it’s the best movie adaptation of the King Arthur story and the Knights of the Round Table we’ve ever gotten.
‘Excalibur’ Began Development as a ‘Lord of the Rings’ Adaptation
Warner Bros.
In his memoir, Adventures of a Suburban Boy, filmmaker John Boorman reveals he’d been trying to create a Merlin movie since 1969. However, United Artists turned down his three-hour script, written by Rospo Pallenberg, because of the high cost. As an alternative, they offered him the opportunity to direct The Lord of the Rings.
After recognizing strong similarities between the characters in The Lord of the Rings – Frodo and Arthur, Gandalf and Merlin – Boorman realized he could finally fulfill his dream of telling the story of the Holy Grail. He decided to adapt Tolkien’s epic trilogy into a three-hour film. Boorman and Pallenberg then spent six months carefully planning, streamlining the plot, and figuring out how to use special effects to realistically portray the magical world of Middle-earth.
Unfortunately, by the time the script was finished, United Artists (UA) was facing serious financial problems. This led to the loss of the executive who understood and supported the idea of making a live-action Lord of the Rings movie. With limited funding, Boorman was given permission to try and sell the script to other studios, like Disney. However, no studio was willing to take on the risk of producing a live-action Lord of the Rings film.
After J.R.R. Tolkien passed away, Ralph Bakshi created an animated film of The Lord of the Rings in 1978. The experience was so negative for producer Mike Medavoy that he later declined to produce a live-action version, even with director John Boorman attached at Tri-Star Pictures. When that Lord of the Rings project failed for a second time, Boorman turned his attention to making the film Excalibur.
‘Excalibur’ Remains a Cult Classic That Launched the Careers of Many
Warner Bros.
Although John Boorman wasn’t chosen to direct the initial live-action Lord of the Rings film, he achieved success with Excalibur. This movie, now a beloved cult classic in the dark fantasy genre, earned $35 million at the box office despite costing only $11 million to make. Excalibur received generally favorable reviews and is also remembered for helping launch the careers of several talented Irish actors, notably Liam Neeson.
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Liam Neeson plays Sir Gawain in Excalibur, a film about King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table. Driven by the sorceress Morgana (Helen Mirren), Gawain fights his fellow knight Lancelot after falsely believing Queen Guenevere (Cherie Lunghi) has been unfaithful. Critics generally liked the movie, giving it a 72% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and praised its stunning visuals, even though the dialogue was sometimes silly.
Beyond displaying the physical strength that would later define Liam Neeson as an action hero, Excalibur also features impressive early performances from Irish actors Ciaran Hinds and Gabriel Byrne. Though it initially started as a project based on The Lord of the Rings, Excalibur is widely considered the best King Arthur adaptation, even 45 years after its debut, and remains a classic.
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2026-03-22 17:03