“King Arthur: Legend of the Sword” gallops into theaters this weekend.

While there have been at least a half dozen versions of the King Arthur legend brought to film — including the 1981 “Excalibur” that helped launched the careers of Liam Neeson and Helen Mirren and the 2004 version with Keira Knightley — one staple has been the legendary sword in the stone, Excalibur.

This latest version features Charlie Hunnam as Arthur, an orphan raised by prostitutes. Only after pulling the sword from the stone does he begin to learn of his heritage and his power.

Swords have played a major role in other iconic films, notable “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” trilogies. But they don’t all come from the world of fantasy or European mythology.

One of the most famous — and deadly — swords is the katana wielded by Uma Thurman in “Kill Bill.” And of course, the weapons have found their way into science fiction as well — notably the lightsabers employed by the Jedi (and Sith) in “Star Wars.”

To see even more famous swords in film, click on the gallery below.

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Cool Swords in Movies: Famous Blades, Knives and Katanas on Film

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