Greek myth has proven to be an endless source of inspiration for Hollywood blockbusters, and there's no shortage of flicks to pick from in that vein. That said, for this list, we're going to avoid the likes of Immortals or Percy Jackson (which was just announced to get a Disney+ show), so there was a little bit of rule-bending this time around. This means that anything even remotely based on Greek mythology was a go.
It's also worth noting that the keyword here is mythology and not history! So as mythological as they might get, films like 300 won't appear. So, here's a rundown of 10 Greek mythology-based movies to check out.
Black Orpheus (1959)
Black Orpheus has a mixture of subtle and not-so-subtle references to Greek mythology. It's based on a Brazilian play by Vinicius de Moraes, which is based on the romantic Greek story of Orpheus and Eurydice. The film takes place in a favela during Carnaval and is very dance-heavy, and filled with magic-realism.
It won the 1960 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, and a memoir by former President Obama notes that it was one of his mother's favorite movies, so that counts for something. And to add on to the praise, recent Best Picture/Director winner Boog Joon-ho (Parasite) also noted the film's influence on him.
Ulysses (1954)
The tale of Odysseus overcoming his pride and arrogance in order to get home is arguably the best tale from Greek mythology, and one of the most iconic. The message, the creatures encountered, and the protagonist are all solid. The fact that Odysseus relies on his brain over brawn coupled with the idea that he doesn't have the help of the gods so much as their ire really makes him a more relatable and impressive hero.
1954's Ulysses is a hard film to track down (as it's an old somewhat obscure Italian film), but it's a good watch for any fans of Greek mythology, especially fans of The Odyssey. Despite being a smaller film, Hollywood stars Kirk Douglas and Anthony Quinn appear and bring their A-game. It's not friendly for general contemporary audiences, but cinephiles and mythology nerds will enjoy it.
Troy (2004)
The tale of Troy actually takes place right before the events of Odysseus' journey, telling the story of the epic 10 year-long siege of the walled city of Troy. Like all great adventures, it's sparked by a romantic getaway, namely, the Trojan prince Paris kidnapping Helen, the queen of Sparta, causing the Greeks to follow and wage war. The film was almost certainly trying to cash in on the success of Ridley Scott's Gladiator, but the direction from Wolfgang Petersen helps make it a decent action epic, even if the screenplay is a bit lackluster (from Game of Thrones alumni David Benioff).
Mighty Aphrodite (1995)
Woody Allen as a human being is pretty questionable, but his quality filmmaking is not. He's one of the best directors and writers on the scene, able to juggle comedy and drama seamlessly and ruminate on the human experience. In Mighty Aphrodite, he treats the film like a Greek play, opening it with a Greek chorus performing in ruins. The film is based on a play called Pygmalion, which is in turn based on the mythical Greek king of the same name. The film is decent, but what makes it soar is the stellar performance from Mira Sorvino, which won her an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress.
Clash Of The Titans (1981)
Stop-motion effects master Ray Harryhausen will be appearing twice on this list, but that's not a problem whatsoever. Clash of the Titans tells the tale of Perseus, who must fight the nasty Medusa (who can turn people to stone with her gaze) in order to save the princess Andromeda from doom at the hands of the Kraken. The film is pretty goofy in the best ways possible, jam-packed with action and adventure, all while using incredible stop-motion effects from Harryhausen, although the film suffers a little from the infamous owl sidekick.
Wonder Woman (2017)
It might be a bit of a stretch considering it's based on the DC Comics character, but that character takes heavy inspiration from Greek mythology. Wonder Woman was a pretty solid movie from DC, amidst a slew of mediocre DC movies surrounding it. With impressively charismatic performances from Gal Gadot and Chris Pine, the film truly felt like a comic book had life breathed into it.
The film was a massive success, as there hadn't been a decent female-led superhero film up that point, and there was not a better character to lead that charge than the iconic princess of Themiscyra.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)
Although it's one of the more laid back and simple Coen brothers films, O Brother, Where Are Thou? manages to find decent footing and works as a comedic and very light adaptation of The Odyssey. The chemistry between Coen Bros. and collaborating actors George Clooney, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Turturro is palpable, placing it firmly among the best of the Coens' filmography. For scale, that's a filmography that includes the purely iconic movie The Big Lebowski. It's also got some incredible music.
Clash Of The Titans (2010)
Clash of the Titans is a sort of basic popcorn flick, but sometimes, people just want to turn off their brains and enjoy something for the spectacle. It's a remake of the 1981 version, but instead of stop motion, it's all shiny CGI in this film. Frankly, the film isn't great, but the performances from Liam Neeson and Ralph Fiennes as Zeus and Hades (respectively) work wonders in providing the movie with redeeming qualities, not to mention an often overlooked Mads Mikkelsen as a soldier named Draco. The story is very similar to the original film, but with a few extra flairs, re-telling the tale of Perseus saving Andromeda... without the owl sidekick.
Hercules (1997)
Disney's Hercules is a whirlwind of insanity, and while it can be alienating for some viewers, it's incredibly amusing for others. Mash together Rocky, Las Vegas, Gospel music, the art of Gerald Scarfe, and Greek mythology, and Hercules is born. It's one of the most stylistically confused but memorable looking Disney films out there, and while it's not up to par with something like Aladdin, it's certainly not Home On The Range. The zero to hero story of Hercules isn't that original, but there was clearly a lot of effort being put into the movie. It's also nice to watch a film that fires on all engines, even if it doesn't quite take off as well as it could. It was recently announced that Hercules would get a live-action remake, so expect plenty of fan-casting leading up to it.
Jason And The Argonauts (1963)
Jason and the Argonauts was an independently made epic from 1963, and one of the most overlooked classics of its era. The film's most iconic calling card is the use of stop-motion special effects by Ray Harryhausen, and it may well be his finest work. The film tells the tale of Jason and his crew (which includes Hercules) tracking down the mythical Golden Fleece while coming across the Greek gods, various monsters, and other perils.
There's a lot going on in Jason and the Argonauts that works so well to this day. The film's final skeleton fight was groundbreaking for 1964, and it's incredible to see in an era where digital effects simply weren't at all what they are now. The hydra fight and the fight with the harpies are also amazing, managing to keep the actors to scale with the creatures. But the best effect has to be the eerie and massive bronze statue, named Talos. The moment that Talos awakens and creaks his head to stare down the Argonauts before he begins a rampage is absolutely unforgettable.