For this revival, Alan Jay Lerner used his screenplay for the 1967 film, rather than his original 1960 stage play. The screenplay includes two scenes not included in the original stage play. The flashback structure seen at the beginning, and the sequence in which Arthur encounters Merlin while in the forest, followed by Mordred persuading King Arthur to stay in the forest.
This is the second screen adaption in which Richard Harris played King Arthur.