Greek mythology is a unique set of folklore and fantasy stories about the ancient Greek gods, goddesses, heroes, and old Greek rituals. It used to be a part of the religious practices in ancient Greece where they believed in Greek gods like Zeus, Poseidon, Apollo, and Greek goddesses like Aphrodite, Hera, and Athena. In addition, titans such as Atlas are among the most well-known Greek mythology figures.
Among the most famous ones, Zeus was believed to be the king of gods, god of weather, law and order, and delivering justice. Poseidon was the god of the sea, and Apollo was the god of music, poetry, archery, and knowledge. Hera was known as the queen of gods and goddess of marriage, women, and childbirth; Aphrodite, goddess of beauty and love and Athena goddess of reason, battle warfare, and peace.
The gods depicted in Greek mythology were just as flawed as humans, making them unexpectedly relatable and human-like. Some were just arrogant and vengeful, which gives a perfect theme for the film industry.
Best Movies Based On Greek Mythology
1. “Hercules” (1997)
ercules is a classic Disney movie that debuted on June 13th, 1997, directed by Ron Clements and John Musker. The film was made with a budget of 85 million dollars and later grossed in Box Office about 252.7 million dollars, making it another classic Disney hit.
Among the casts were Tate Donovan as adult Hercules, Jason Keaton as the voice of teenage Hercules, Danny Devito as Philoctetes, James Woods as Hades, Susan Egan as Megara, and Rip Torn as Zeus
Hercules is a movie we’ve all grown up seeing with music tunes that are as iconic as everything else in the Disney hall of fame, and the characters just as memorable. Hercules might be a classic outsider in the film, but his bravery and wits are even more entertaining.
Furthermore, the film portrays the character of Hades as the villain, who is also incredibly amusing. The film’s comedy is superb, with a surprising amount of humor, based on references to Greek mythology. This movie appeals to both Disney and Greek mythology fans.
2. “Troy” (2004)
“Troy” is another excellent movie based on Greek mythology. It is a loose adaption of the book “Illiad” by Homer, which narrates the events of the long war of Trojan fought between two armies. It was released onMay 13th, 2004, and was directed by Wolfgang Peterson. Among the producers were Wolfgang himself, Diana Rathbun, and Colin Wilson.
The movie’s production cost was 175 million dollars, and it grossed at 497.4 million dollars in the Box Office. It is an epic movie about historical warfare, which led to the film being the 60th highest-grossing movie at the time of release and the 8th highest-grossing movie of the year.
The movie focuses on the great war of Trojan fought between the two Greek armies, Myrmidons, and the United Greek Army. The main character is Achilles, the Myrmidons leader and a great warrior played by Brad Pitt. The movie shows an epic display of charisma, leadership skills, and Great War tactics.
3. “300” (2007)
“300” is another Greek mythology-inspired, war-type historical film based on the book with the same name by Frank Miller, released in 1998. The movie was released on March 9th, 2007, and was directed by Zack Snyder, the same man who directed Man of Steel and Justice League. The budget assigned for the movie was approximately 65 million dollars, whereas it did exceptionally well in the Box Office, generating 456.1 million dollars worldwide.
The plot revolves around the life of King Leonidas, the first of Sparta, played by Gerard Butler, in an era of warfare between different nations. Persian Empire and Sparta are enemies that seek to destroy one another and gain power.
The movie portrays that the Persian Empire is the largest empire in the world, and they seek to rule over Sparta. However, Spartan warriors are skilled and known for their combat skills in battle, which gives the Persian Empire a hard time. The movie shows the struggle of the Spartan people in an attempt to defeat the cruel Persian Empire and be free of their oppressive rule. Overall, it is a great film to watch.
4. Percy Jackson & The Olympians: “The Lightning Thief” and “The Sea Of Monster” (2010 – 2013)
Percy Jackson and the Olympians series, namely “The Lightning Thief” and “The Sea of Monsters,” are based on the books of the same name by the author Rick Riordon. The first book was released in 2005, and the second one a year later. However, the movies based on the novels debuted on February 12th, 2010, and August 7th, 2013.
Chris Columbus directed the first movie, and Thor Freudenthal directed the second, and 20th Century Fox distributed both the movies.
“The Lightning Thief” grossed 226.4 million dollars in the Box Office with a production budget of about 95 million dollars. The second installment, “The Sea of Monsters,” grossed 428.7 million dollars worldwide, with a production budget of about 185 million dollars.
The theme of the two movies revolves around Percy Jackson, a demigod who gets involved in the warfare of the Greek gods. He is made to go through different types of adventures to save the world. Overall, the movie franchise was a great success worldwide and only received some negative feedback from the book readers since the movies deviated a little from the main plots.
The cast features Logan Lerman as Percy Jackson, son of Poseidon, Jake Abel as Luke Castellan, son of Hermes, Alexandra Daddario as Annabeth Chase, daughter of Athena, and Brandon T. Jackson Grover Underwood, who is Percy’s protector.
5. “Clash of The Titans” & ” Wrath of The Titans” (2010 – 2012)
“Clash of the Titans” is the first of the two installments of the movie series. It is based on a remake of the movie with the same name from 1981. The 2010 version was directed by Louis Leterrier and produced by Basil Iwanyk, Kevin De La Noy, and Richard D. Zanuck. The budget for this film was 125 million dollars, and it grossed 493 million dollars in the Box Office.
The movie features the story of the Greek gods after they defeated the “Titans.” The Greek gods become interested in their gains. Perseus, son of the Greek god Zeus, tries to fight against the unjust tyranny of the Greek gods, and hence the film is about the journey to rebellion against a few tyrannical gods that have become cruel to humanity.
Meanwhile, “Wrath of the Titans” is the second installment to the 2010 film “Clash of the Titans.” The second movie was directed by Jonathan Liebesman and produced by Basil Iwanyk, the same producer of the first one, and Polly Cohen Johnson. The budget approved for the movie was about 150 million dollars, with the film grossing about 302 million dollars. It was released on March 30th, 2012.
The movie is a continuation of the first installment. It follows the perspective of Perseus, the son of Zeus, in an attempt to make peace with the other Greek gods and make matters less tense and heated to avoid a catastrophe from happening.
6. Immortals (2011)
“Immortals” is another fantasy action movie based on Greek mythology. The movie was directed by Tarsem Singh and released on November 11th, 2011. It had a budget of 75 million dollars and grossed at 226.9 million dollars in the Box Office.
The movie features the story of “The Twelve Olympians,” who imprisoned the “Titans” unjustly. It also shows the quest of the heroes of the depicted village in their struggle against the king of the Olympians in an attempt to free the “Titans” to help them win against the tyrannical ruler.
Greek Mythology – A Thrilling Theme for Movies
Greek mythology is a fascinating topic, with lots of interesting stories and characters. Greek mythology has an undeniable appeal to it that combines imaginative elements into a religious sense. The concept of magical realism and fantasy existed in ancient Greece and consisted of folklore in which humans live side-by-side with monsters and gods.
One can find a wide range of emotions, vast displays of arrogance, bloodshed, politics, and warfare in these movies based on Greek mythology.