Alexandre Dumas' The Three Musketeers is a famous novel inspired by the real-life heroics of Count D'Artagnan. As D'Artagnan embarks on a journey to join the King's Musketeers (the famous royal brigade), he meets three of their most famous members - Athos, Porthos, and Aramis. This novel is one of the most famous French swashbucklers of all time, displaying heroism, fights for justice and freedom, and camaraderie.

With all that, how could Hollywood and many other global film industries not take it upon themselves to create their visual adaptations? Truly, The Three Musketeers is one of the most book-to-screen adapted novels of all time; out of those many adaptations, some have only taken inspiration from it, while others have adapted it directly, and literally. Here are some that fans of the story might (or already do) enjoy.

10 'The Three Musketeers' (2014)

Original Title "Samchongsa," a South Korean series adaptation

South Korean series are extremely popular nowadays, although this is nothing new. The world has progressed from watching K-Dramas on browsers and unknown sites to having access to hundreds of popular titles on streaming platforms like Netflix and Disney Plus. That's why it'd be tough not to include Samchongsa, or The Three Musketeers in the list.

This adaptation of the Dumas classic could bring the story closer to wider audiences, although it was put into the context of Korean history, right during the historical period known as Joseon. D'Artagnan is portrayed through Dal Hyang (Jung Yong-hwa), a young warrior who comes to the capital to try himself out for military testing.

There, he encounters the three warriors calling themselves The Musketeers, out of which one is the Crown Prince himself (played by Lee Jin-wook). At a time of turmoil, weak ruling by the Joseon King, and the turn of the dynasties, the story of the Three Musketeers fits in well. For fans of K-Drama, this series is a hit, but fans of the classic Dumas novel might not be fully impressed. Still, there have been worse book adaptations out there.

Watch on Amazon Prime

9 'The Three Musketeers' (2011)

Starring Orlando Bloom, Christoph Waltz, and Logan Lerman

A potentially forgotten hit, 2011's The Three Musketeers with Logan Lerman as D'Artagnan, is one of the most mainstream hits of the 2010s. However, this star-studded movie is tough to describe. Besides it being classified as an adaptation of the Dumas novel, the executive decision to add Leonardo da Vinci into the plot is an odd choice for any fan. Next to the plot and story freedoms taken, its downside could be what was really meant to be the upside - the cast.

The producers likely wanted numerous big names and flashy effects to attract wider audiences, ending up with several flat scenes and deliveries. Packing a movie with many famous actors could also cause a lack in character depth, but the result isn't so bad - viewers get to enjoy seeing some familiar faces in exceptional appearances. The upside of this adaptation is that it's, nevertheless, fun to watch. Matthew Macfadyen, Luke Evans, and the late Ray Stevenson play Athos, Aramis, and Porthos, while Christoph Waltz steps into Cardinal Richelieu's shoes for this one.

Watch on Amazon Prime

8 'The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan' (2023)

Original Title: "Les Trois Mousquetaires: D'Artagnan" with Vincent Cassel

The latest adaptation of The Three Musketeers comes from France under the name Les Trois Mousquetaires in two parts. Vincent Cassel plays Athos, while Eva Green steps into the role of Milady de Winter, one of the story's antagonists. The first part follows D'Artagnan (François Civil) who ends up in Paris, looking for revenge. As French society crumbles, he joins forces with Athos, Porthos, and Aramis, to defeat Cardinal Richelieu (Eric Ruf de la Comédie Française). But, as in the novel, D'Artagnan falls for the Queen's confidante Constance, adding more danger to his adventures.

The French adaptation feels bold and well-made, but can it pair with the likes of Hollywood blockbusters? Audiences don't seem to care, as Les Trois Mousquetaires: D'Artagnan was received much better than 2011's Hollywood version; in fact, the latest French adaptation may be a better fit for the story, as Alexandre Dumas was French, so it's like the story is returning home. Cassel gets his big moment of becoming an action hero, while the rest of the cast are so well-selected, that it's tough to find big flaws in the adaptation.

Watch on Apple TV

7 'The Three Musketeers' (1973)

Starring Oliver Reed, Michael York, and Raquel Welch

The Three Musketeers version that most viewers of today grew up on is surely the 1973 one starring Oliver Reed as Athos, Michael York as D'Artagnan, Raquel Welch as Constance, and Faye Dunaway as Milady de Winter. This feature film is nothing short of spectacular, standing the test of time in terms of action, romance, and heroism. This adaptation stands out because it's light-hearted, more than anything; that may not be the vibe Dumas wanted to portray in his novel, but swashbucklers were meant to entertain and portray the adventures of daring and bold heroes.

The action in the movie is swift and focused on sword fighting; the action scenes were filmed with such dedication that trivia claims Oliver Reed got stabbed in the throat during one scene. If fans of the novel and the swashbuckling genre need a movie to enjoy during the holidays, they can check out one of the most entertaining and star-studded portrayals of The Three Musketeers, this one from 1973. It's definitely one of the best 1970s comedies to check out.

Watch on Roku

6 'The Three Musketeers' (1966 - 1967)

A BBC series starring Brian Blessed

When the BBC screened ten episodes of a black and white series about the adventures of D'Artagnan and the three musketeers, they probably didn't know that the series would be a cult classic watched and adored even half a century later. Porthos is described with the words "Despite his gigantic stature, bravado, and fighting ability, Porthos is caring and kind," and this description seemed befitting of one of the most beloved British actors of the times - Brian Blessed.

Blessed's stature, voice, and comedic timing made this pretty accurate depiction of The Three Musketeers all the more entertaining and loved. Portraying Porthos may have been just one of the things Blessed is famous for, besides his incredible life lessons from BBC Radio, captivating novels, and various expeditions.

This adaptation of Dumas' novel is among the best British miniseries ever made; despite sometimes clumsy and underperforming action sequences, the story remains true to the original, providing the feeling that it was ahead of its time. Nuanced stories are often best told through a series, so this adaptation may have done what no movie could - giving its characters depth and motive.

Editor's Note: Not Available for Streaming.

5 'The Three Musketeers: Milady' (2023)

Original Title: "Les Trois Mousquetaires: Milady" with Eva Green