Finding a movie that actually feels like 1982’s Conan the Barbarian is weirdly difficult. You’d think with all the fantasy stuff we have now, it would be easy. But most modern fantasy is too clean. It’s too "Lord of the Rings" and not enough "muscle-bound guy in a loincloth hitting a giant snake with a broadsword."
John Milius, the director of the original Conan, didn't just make a movie about a guy with a sword; he made a tone poem about iron, blood, and the "Riddle of Steel." If you're looking for Conan the Barbarian similar movies, you’ve probably realized that most of them fall into the "cheesy rip-off" category. Don't get me wrong, those are fun too. But there’s a specific, grounded, dirty feeling to the first Conan that very few films have ever managed to replicate.
Honestly, most people point to the sequel, Conan the Destroyer, but that's a totally different beast. It’s campy. It’s PG. It’s basically a live-action cartoon. If you want the real grit, you have to look elsewhere.
The Best Sword and Sorcery Movies Like Conan the Barbarian
When we talk about the peak of this genre, you have to start with the stuff that came out right around the same time. The early 80s were basically the Wild West for fantasy films. Producers saw Arnold Schwarzenegger's success and just threw money at anyone who owned a gym and a leather vest.
The Beastmaster (1982)
This is the one everyone remembers from cable TV. Marc Singer plays Dar, a guy who can talk to animals. It sounds a bit Disney on paper, but the movie is actually pretty dark. You’ve got a high priest who throws babies into pits of fire and these weird bird-men that dissolve people with their wings. It doesn't have the philosophical weight of Conan, but it has the atmosphere. The production design is tactile. It feels like a real, sun-bleached world.
🔗 Read more: How Old Is Paul Heyman? The Real Story of Wrestling’s Greatest Mind
The Sword and the Sorcerer (1982)
Released just weeks before Conan, this movie is pure, unadulterated pulp. It’s famous for the "triple-blade sword" that shoots blades out like projectiles. It’s much more of a swashbuckler than Conan, but it hits that same "Conansploitation" sweet spot. It’s fast-paced, filled with bizarre practical effects, and features a villain who gets resurrected in a pool of black goo. It’s basically everything you want from a Saturday night movie.
Excalibur (1981)
If Conan is about the grit of the earth, Excalibur is about the gleam of the armor. It’s a retelling of the King Arthur legend, but it feels more like a fever dream than a history lesson. John Boorman used real, heavy armor that made the actors move like clanking tanks. The violence is wet and heavy. It shares that same sense of "ancient myth come to life" that Milius brought to the Hyborian Age. Plus, it has a young Liam Neeson and Patrick Stewart, which is always a trip to see.
Why Modern Fantasy Usually Misses the Mark
The problem with modern movies trying to mimic the Conan vibe is that they rely too much on CGI. When Conan fights that giant snake in the tower, you can see the weight of the prop. When he’s tied to the Tree of Woe, you can feel the heat.
The 2011 Conan the Barbarian with Jason Momoa is a perfect example. Momoa is actually great as Conan—he’s got the look and the physicality. But the movie feels "processed." It’s too fast. The blood looks like digital grape juice. It lacks the patience of the 1982 film.
💡 You might also like: Howie Mandel Cupcake Picture: What Really Happened With That Viral Post
If you want something modern that actually gets it, you have to look at The Northman (2022). Robert Eggers basically made a barbarian movie with a $90 million budget. It’s brutal, it’s ritualistic, and it doesn't care if you like the main character. Amleth is a berserker, and the film treats his world with the same "this is just how things are" attitude that Conan has.
Fire and Ice (1983)
We can't talk about Conan without mentioning Frank Frazetta. He was the artist who defined what a barbarian looks like in the public imagination. Fire and Ice is an animated film directed by Ralph Bakshi, but Frazetta was heavily involved in the design. It uses rotoscoping (tracing over live actors), so the movement feels strangely real. It’s basically a Frazetta painting come to life. If you like the visuals of the Conan posters, you need to see this.
The Weird World of "Conansploitation"
After Conan became a hit, Italy decided they wanted in on the action. This led to a sub-genre fans call "Conansploitation." These movies are usually low-budget, very weird, and often surprisingly graphic.
- Conquest (1983): Directed by Lucio Fulci, who is better known for zombie movies. This is a hallucinatory, foggy nightmare. There are dolphin-men, evil sorceresses, and a lot of slow-motion violence. It’s not "good" in a traditional sense, but it’s unforgettable.
- Deathstalker (1983): This is the quintessential "bad" barbarian movie. It’s sexist, cheap, and the plot is a mess. But if you want to see the DNA of the 80s fantasy boom, this is it. It’s the "Troll 2" of sword and sorcery.
- The Barbarians (1987): Starring the Barbarian Brothers (Peter and David Paul). It’s basically a comedy, whether it meant to be or not. It’s pure muscle-head entertainment.
Red Sonja (1985)
Technically, this is in the same universe. Arnold is even in it, though he’s playing a character named "Kalidor" because of rights issues. He's basically Conan with a different name. Brigitte Nielsen plays the lead. It’s not as strong as the first Conan, but it’s the closest thing to a direct spiritual successor we ever got in that era.
📖 Related: Austin & Ally Maddie Ziegler Episode: What Really Happened in Homework & Hidden Talents
Finding Your Next Watch: A Quick Guide
Instead of a boring list, think about what part of Conan you actually liked.
If you liked the grim, historical feel, go with The Northman or Valhalla Rising. Both are light on dialogue and heavy on atmosphere. They treat violence as a ritual.
If you liked the weird magic and monsters, check out The Beastmaster or Krull. Krull is a bit of a weird one because it mixes sci-fi (aliens in a teleporting castle) with classic sword and sorcery. It has a great score by James Horner, though.
If you liked the 80s cheese, The Sword and the Sorcerer is your best bet. It’s got that high-energy, "let's just see what happens" vibe that’s missing from modern blockbusters.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you've exhausted the movies, there are a few other ways to scratch that itch.
- Read the Original Stories: Robert E. Howard’s original Conan stories are much faster and more violent than the movies. "The Tower of the Elephant" is a great place to start.
- Check out Solomon Kane: Another Howard character. There’s a 2009 movie starring James Purefoy that is actually really good. it’s more 16th-century than prehistoric, but the "lonely warrior against evil" vibe is 100% there.
- Watch the "Flesh + Blood" (1985): Directed by Paul Verhoeven. It’s not a fantasy movie (no magic), but it’s a brutal, dirty medieval movie that feels exactly like the world Conan would live in. It stars Rutger Hauer and is incredibly nihilistic.
The 1982 Conan the Barbarian was a lightning-in-a-bottle moment. It combined a genius composer (Basil Poledouris), a singular director (John Milius), and a lead actor who was literally the most physically impressive human on earth at the time. You won't find another movie exactly like it, but the ones above get pretty close in their own weird ways.