For Game of Thrones fans, winter is finally here and, coming with it, is the end to one of the most popular and influential TV series in the history of the medium.
When HBO’s flagship series signs off after its six final episodes this year, it will take with it one of the last shows to truly demand appointment viewing in the era of Peak TV. There is no show like it that compels audiences to watch it live the night of, together, in a communal experience. So, long story less long, when the series finale airs, Game of Thrones‘ absence will be deeply felt. As we rocket through its final season, here are 11 epic movies to help soften the blow/tide you over when the show retires to the Starks’ crypt – presuming, of course, it survives the White Walkers’ conquest.
‘Braveheart’ (1995)
Game of Thrones’ bloody and epic aesthetic can be traced back to Mel Gibson’s Best Picture winner. While William Wallace’s revolution to free Scotland and unite its clans was a dragon-free affair, it was quite generous with its in-camera battles on horseback as armies of extras waged war in ways that would make the troops at Hardhome blush.
‘Troy’ (2004)
Director Wolfgang Peterson adaptation of Homer’s epic poem The Iliad is old-school, sword-and-sandals filmmaking at its finest — at least on a technical level.
Written by GoT co-showrunner David Benioff before Thrones was a gleam in his eye, Troy is a dense, sprawling Greek tragedy centered on Achilles (Brad Pitt) and his mythic victories leading up to the siege of Troy by way of Trojan Horse. The political machinations and power plays that Benioff invested many of Thrones’ storylines with are showcased here, as Troy unfolds with a spectacle largely done in-camera and with limited CG enhancement.
‘300’ (2005)
Prior to Game of Thrones, 300 was the torch bearer for R-rated swords and spears and arrows action. Zack Snyder’s emotionally underserved but visually over-amped adaptation of Frank Miller’s graphic novel is a style-over-substance take on the Spartan army’s massive Battle of Thermopylae and Persian War campaigns. The film did for under-cranking action scenes what The Matrix did for Bullet Time.
‘Stardust’ (2007)
Kingsman director Matthew Vaughn’s underrated fantasy, based on the Neil Gaiman book, is a whimsical, PG-13 antidote to the hard R-rated action and violence of Game of Thrones. Both this movie and the series share a knack for the theatrical and clever banter among diverse and interesting characters, however, to help ensure a smooth transition into a post-GoT world.
‘A Knight’s Tale’ (2001)
Director and Oscar-winning screenwriter Brian Helgeland (LA Confidential) turned the late Heath Ledger into a movie star with his medieval action movie set to purposefully anachronistic rock ‘n roll songs. On paper, the movie sounds at least six different types of crazy. But in execution, A Knight’s Tale is as entertaining as it is charming, thanks in large part to Ledger’s winning portrayal of knight-to-be William Thatcher and early performances by Paul Bettany, Alan Tudyk, and – in a coincidental twist – Mark Addy, who would later go on to play Robert Baratheon himself. Plus, the jousting scenes are *chef’s kiss.*
‘Excalibur’ (1981)
Director John Boorman’s slow-burn take on the classic King Arthur legend is a disturbing, violent affair that doesn’t shy away from the source material’s more fantastical aspects. With memorable production and costume design, Excalibur is a visually significant experience in the pantheon of movies about the Sword in the Stone.
From its extra-shiny suits of armor to its sweeping vistas, this piece of ‘80s nostalgia more than holds up almost 40 years since its release.
‘The Lord Of The Rings’ Trilogy (2001 – 2003)
The success of Peter Jackson’s Oscar-winning epics helped pave the way for fantasy to find a home in prime time television by way of HBO’s Game of Thrones. Audiences exposure to the land of orcs, elves, and Hobbits served as a gateway drug to Westeros’ land of dragons, White Walkers and sellswords. GoT fans suffering from epic battle withdrawal once the show signs off can turn to The Two Towers’ Battle of Helm’s Deep to get their fix of clanging swords and strategic warfare involving man, woman, and beast.
‘Gladiator’ (2000)
Tonally, Gladiator is a solid companion to the more noble heroics GoT showcases in between the series’ more Machiavellian storylines. Ridley Scott’s celebrated Best Picture winner harkens back to the days of Cecil B. Demille-esque pageantry, at a time just before Hollywood blockbusters would numb audiences with near-constant assaults of CG spectacle standing in for the real thing.
Minus a few video game-level instances of computer imagery, Gladiator largely delivers on its practical stunts and set pieces — all bolstered by Russell Crowe’s star-making turn as general-turned-gladiatorial-combatant Maximus Decimus Meridius.
‘Spartacus’ (1960)
Almost 60 years since it was released, Stanley Kubrick’s Spartacus is still the standard bearer all sword-and-sandals epics are measured by. Extravagant production values and an iconic performance from screen legend Kirk Douglas secured this classic a permanent spot on the list of Hollywood’s greatest movies ever made. Kubrick’s anamorphic vision captures both the visual splendor and the emotional nuance of Spartacus’ plight, as the slave leads a rebellion to become an unlikely hero and savior.
‘13 Assassins’ (2011)
Honor and blood oaths are cornerstones of many of Game of Thrones’ narrative threads. The only movie that comes close to achieving the series level of drama regarding those threads is director Takashi Miike’s remake of the 1963 black-and-white Japanese film.
Miike’s 13 Assassins is more than just blood splatter and sword fighting; it’s a slow-burn, brooding, men-on-a-mission movie about 12 samurai and one hunter’s secret plot to take down the evil leader of the Akashi clan. The film’s final battle, a collection of mini victories and defeats, is on par with the best action scenes Thrones ever produced.
‘The Count of Monte Cristo’ (2002)
Attention must be paid to Director Kevin Reynolds (Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves) and star Jim Cavizel’s underrated adaptation of Alexandar Dumas’ classic tale of revenge and romance. Wrongfully imprisoned, Edmond Dantes takes the Lannister’s credo of always repaying one’s debts to heart by setting out on a lengthy journey to re-enter the world and take vengeance on those that temporarily took him out of it. The film’s exceptional swordplay and witty script are standouts, as is Guy Pearce’s love-to-hate turn as the villainous Fernand Mondego.
