The gods of Greek mythology weren’t like the omnipotent, omniscient, unknowable superbeings we now associate with modern religion. They were, for all their mighty powers, deeply flawed and — dare we say it? — human. Zeus, Hades, Venus and all the rest were hot messes who frequently interfered in the affairs of mortal men, sometimes just to screw with us (in more ways than one), forging one epic legend after another.
So makes sense that filmmakers often gravitate towards Greek myths, the ancestors our many modern tales. The best Greek mythology films bring the fantasies of the past to life and/or adapt those fantasies into an unexpected, modern context, giving new life to old gods. Stirring action-adventures, kooky comedies, animated musicals and arthouse marvels await you as we present The Best Greek Mythology Films Ever Made.
10. The Adventures of Baron Munchausen (1988)
Monty Python alumnus Terry Gilliam has a truly disastrous career, in more ways than one. An alarmingly large percentage of his movies experienced serious production and/or post-production calamities, from cost overruns to inferior studios edits to whole movies that got scrapped in the middle of filming. Not all his movies are bad though. The box office disaster “The Adventures of Baron Munchausen” is an incredible fantasy tale starring John Neville as a German tall tale who travels to one mindblowing world after another, reuniting his superpowered best friends to save a city under siege.
Along the way they dive directly into the volcano of Hephaestus, the god of blacksmithing, played with grungy aplomb by the great Oliver Reed, and his wife Aphrodite, played by a dreamlike Uma Thurman. They’re going by their Roman names, Vulcan and Venus, but we know who they really are, and we can see with our own eyes that Gilliam was a genius at bringing gods to fascinating, tactile life in a world of absolute wonder.
9. Immortals (2011)
In the wake of Zack Snyder’s unexpected blockbuster “300,” director Tarsem Singh Dhandwar (“The Cell”) directed his own incredibly arch and manly sword-and-sandal epic. Alas, the zeitgeist had already passed by the time his outlandish fantasy epic was unleashed and the film was overlooked for years, even though it’s an incredibly wild, deliriously strange supernatural epic. Henry Cavill stars as Theseus, a hero dragged into an epic conflict between King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his greatest nemeses: the gods themselves, who have vowed not to interfere in human affairs and are punished horrifically by Zeus whenever they try. “Immortals” simultaneously embraces the mythological origins of Theseus’ saga while arguing that history got it wrong, a balance between faith and secularism that grounds this otherwise gloriously overdesigned action fantasy.
8. Wonder Woman (2017)
Patty Jenkins’ first “Wonder Woman” movie introduces the Amazons, a culture of warrior women hidden from the world of men, until a handsome American pilot, played by Chris Pine, crashlands on their island in the middle of World War I. The heroic Diana, played by Gal Gadot, accompanies him into the modern world, with a single-minded mission to find and destroy Ares, the god of war, who is obviously responsible for the violent woes of the 20th century. “Wonder Woman” impressively balances humor, romance, drama and blockbuster action until it is undone, at the last minute, by a climax filled with CGI chaos and an ill-advised twist on top of a twist, which makes Diana’s otherwise fascinating journey feel pat. Until that finale, which plays like a studio note gone wrong, “Wonder Woman” is one of the great superhero movies, inspired by Greek legends, which Jenkins successfully adapts to the modern era.
7. Hercules (1997)
The Disney Renaissance began with John Musker and Ron Clements’ “The Little Mermaid” in 1989, and was already starting to wind down when their ambitious and unusual “Hercules” was released eight years later. The House of Mouse could have got away with a standard retelling of the iconic Greek superhero’s origin but instead they treated Hercules (voiced by Tate Donovan) as an underdog sports hero, gradually rising to fame thanks to his magical powers and grumpy personal trainer, Phil the Satyr (Danny DeVito). Meanwhile, Hades schemes to overthrow Zeus, voiced by James Woods as a fast-talking businessman, back when casting James Woods in a Disney movie seemed like a major win. “Hercules” was trying to feel contemporary, and as such it’s already aged a lot, but it’s a novel film in the Disney animated canon, and deserves its positive reputation.
6. The Return (2024)
Uberto Pasolini’s stripped down take on “The Odyssey” was all but completely overlooked two years ago, but interest in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster may finally pull this impressive wonder out of obscurity. Ralph Fiennes plays Odysseus, who washes up on the shores of Ithaca after ten years at war and ten long, long years trying to come home. Pasolini skips over the epic saga and skips right to the end, transforming the last part of most “Odyssey” stories into a pensive, biting drama about a legendary hero slowing coming to grips with what he’s lost, before finally deciding to take it all back. Like Nolan’s film, “The Return” isn’t interested in conventional thrills. It’s a serious drama which gradually earns its dramatic, intense conclusion.
5. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Joel and Ethan Coen claim they’d never read Homer’s “The Odyssey” before they wrote and directed “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”, a musical comedy which loosely adapts the story of a man fighting to come home and prevent his wife’s wedding, facing off against sinister sirens and a dangerous cyclops along the way. If that’s true they certainly read the Cliff’s Notes, because they made one of the best and most enjoyable films based on any Greek myth. George Clooney, John Turturro and Tim Blake Nelson play escaped convicts who accidentally become bluegrass superstars, completely unaware that they’re beloved celebrities as they run from the law. An incredibly funny film, with one of the all-time greatest soundtracks.
4. Orpheus (1950)
French filmmaker Jean Cocteau is probably best known in the United States for his bizarre and magical adaptation of “Beauty and the Beast” (1946), which was an undeniable influence on Disney’s animated classic nearly 50 years later. His take on the “Orpheus” myth casts his former beast, Jean Marais, as a troubled poet who stumbles into a complex love quadrangle, also involving his long-ignored wife, a sensitive ghost, and the personification of death. Cocteau finds the magic in the everyday, transforming ordinary mirrors into portals, using inventive visual effects which still have the power to haunt. Cocteau’s “Orpheus” is an arthouse film through and through, and may seem elusive to film fans expecting old-fashioned entertainment, but it’s a powerful rendition of a classic tale, translated poetically into the present.
3. Black Orpheus (1959)
If you want a more energetic interpretation of “Orpheus,” look no further. Marcel Camus’ Oscar-winning classic stars Breno Mello and Marpessa Dawn as Orpheus and Eurydice, two star-crossed lovers in Rio de Janeiro who live out the tragic tale of their namesakes. Set during Carnaval, “Black Orpheus” is bursting with music and dancing and elaborate costumes, a gorgeous setting for an intimate tale, which turns sad and mournful as it unfolds. Camus’ filmmaking is impossibly bright, even in moments of absolute horror, and the film’s spirited depiction of Carnaval was instrumental in introducing Brazilian culture into the worldwide mainstream, particularly bossa nova music.
2. The Odyssey (2026)
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey” is arguably his best film, but is it the best movie ever based on Greek mythology? It’s probably too early to make that call, but even so, it’s an astounding accomplishment. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the brilliant tactician who concocted the Trojan Horse, who spends ten years fighting monsters and defying the gods to get back home. “The Odyssey” looks at the same source material that many other movies mine for heroic adventure and sees only a horrific allegory for men’s rotten souls, which can only be purged of their wickedness through epic internal and external conflict. Nolan defied expectations and delivered a grim horror epic, spiked with pulse-pounding action, obsessed with human suffering.
1. Jason and the Argonauts (1963)
The gold standard for classic, old school sword-and-sandal fantasy tales. A spirited and lavish retelling of the quest for the Golden Fleece, starring Todd Armstrong (dubbed by Tim Turner) as the legendary hero Jason, who embarks on his quest for the Golden Fleece. “Jason and the Argonauts” was directed by Don Chaffey (“Pete’s Dragon”) but visual effects wizard Ray Harryhausen steals the show, unleashing a series of awe-inspiring stop-motion monsters including the many-headed Hydra, the gigantic living statue Talos and, in the unforgettable conclusion, an army of warrior skeletons. It’s a handsome, absorbing crowd-pleaser, with visual effects that still inspire awe.
