10 Movies You Need To Watch Before The Odyssey

The Odyssey arrives in theaters on July 17, 2026, but if you can't stand the wait, check out some of these films to help tide you over. A feature-length adaptation of one of the most-well known epic tales from one of our best epic film directors? The Odyssey has some high expectations, and early reviews are indicating Nolan may have exceeded those expectations.

It has been a successful year at the box office, and Nolan's last film, Oppenheimer, was a smash hit. This could be the perfect storm for another record-breaking blockbuster, which could also mean getting tickets won't be easy. If you find yourself counting down the days until you get to see The Odyssey in theaters, satiate your appetite with these similarly minded movies.

Jason And The Argonauts (1963)

Jason and the Argonauts is a stop-motion classic from director Don Chaffey, with the special effects courtesy of the legendary Ray Harryhausen. Loosely based on the Greek myth, Jason and the Argonauts follows the legendary hero Jason (Todd Armstrong) as he sails on adventures to claim the Golden Fleece.

A rousing tale in the style of The Odyssey, Jason and the Argonauts is an early interpretation of a popular Greek myth with plenty of creative liberties taken. It's a swashbuckling story, and though campy in some parts, the stop-motion craft and inventiveness on display are worth watching for alone.

Clash Of The Titans (1981)

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The original Clash of the Titans is also another Ray Harryhausen project, and his incredible work helps bring the Kraken, Pegasus, Medusa, and the other mythical monsters of the Greek legend to stunning life. Harry Hamlin stars as Perseus, a Greek hero brought into an Olympic fight between gods.

Clash of the Titans is emblematic of the era. A mythical adventure film, filled with sword fights, romance, and jealous interlopers. Its influence can be seen everywhere, not least in the 2010 remake and its sequel. There are few movies based on Greek myths with the scope and lofty sensibilities as the original Clash of the Titans​​​​​​.

Hercules (1997)

Phil poking Hercules in the chest in Hercules 1997

There's already been a lot of hay made about the historical accuracy of The Odyssey, but if strict adherence to thousand-year-old texts is not critical to your enjoyment of a film, then definitely check out Disney's Hercules. If Hercules came out today, there might be riots for how much it deviates from accepted Greek mythology.

Despite these inaccuracies, Hercules remains one of Disney's best movies and a core component of the Disney Renaissance. In the film, Hercules (Tate Donovan) is the exiled son of Zeus who decides to prove his worth to earn his place on Mount Olympus. The songs are incredible, the performances moving, and the action is top tier.

Gladiator (2000)

Russell Crowe as Maximus screaming in Gladiator ©DreamWorks/Courtesy Everett Collection

Gladiator may not be a fantasy, but it's a sword-and-sandals epic with violence, vengeance, and big set pieces. Directed by Ridley Scott and starring Russell Crowe as Maximus Decimus Meridius, Gladiator follows the fall of Maximus, a former Roman general, who is betrayed by a conniving emperor, Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix).

Forced into slaverey, Maximus becomes a beloved and respected gladiator, and with his newfound fame, Maximus plots to take his vengeance on the man who wronged him. Gladiator is one of Scott's best films and a movie that will have you welling up one moment and cheering for victory in the next.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000)

Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney) with Pete (John Turturro) and Delmar (Tim Blake Nelson) looking at something in O Brother, Where Art Thou?

Joel and Ethan Coen's comedy musical, O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a satire of America in the early 20th century, but it's also an adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey​​​​​​. The film, set in 1937 in Mississippi, follows three escaped convicts who are in search of a legendary lost treasure.

On their journey, they're aided by a blind man driving a handcar (Demodocus in The Odyssey), encounter muses in a pond (sirens), meet a one-eyed mugger played by John Goodman (the cyclops Polyphemus), and the main character, played by George Clooney, is named Ulysses, the Roman name for Odysseus.

Sinbad: Legend Of The Seven Seas (2003)

Sinbad and Prince Proteus look shocked while holding swords in Sinbad Legend of the Seven Seas

An overlooked DreamWorks Animation film from the early 2000s, Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas is a swashbuckling children's film, maybe more suited for adults. Combining elements of Greek mythology and Middle Eastern folktales, Sinbad is a beautifully animated, utterly unique film.

There are Greek gods, sirens, Arabian creatures of myth like roc, and more. Sinbad also features an impressive voice cast, including Brad Pitt as the titular adventurer, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Michelle Pfeiffer, Joseph Fiennes, and Dennis Haysbert. It may not be quite as successful as its partner film, The Prince of Egypt, but Sinbad is still worth your time.

Troy (2004)

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As the literal prequel to The Odyssey, you can't go wrong watching Troy before Nolan's film. It seems that The Odyssey will cover some parts of the Battle of Troy, but it certainly won't go as in depth as Wolfgang Petersen's 2004 war epic. Brad Pitt stars as Achilles, the unbeatable Greek champion.

The production for Troy is jaw-dropping, truly capturing the epic nature of the legendary battler. While the film doesn't always reach the emotional heights that you might want, the action setpieces, the sense of scale, and the presentation of Ancient Greece and Troy make for an excellent watch.

300 (2006)

the 300 spartans looking cross

Fantasy meets history in Zack Snyder's 300, based on Frank Miller's comic of the same name. Though if you subscribe to the theory that the fantastical elements are exaggerations Dilios (David Wenham) is adding to his retelling, then you can stretch and call it a historical film.

The real-life Battle of Thermopylae is the setting of 300, though in this film, King Leonidas (Gerard Butler) and his 300 Spartan hoplites fight off the never-ending hordes of the Persian Empire, which includes, among many opponents, war rhinos, monstrous elite soldiers with fangs, and executioners with bone swords in place of hands.

Apocalypto (2006)

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Apocalypto may not be a swords-and-sandals film, and it may not be based on Greek myth, but if you are interested in seeing The Odyssey because a story about a hero going through trials and tribulations to return to his family compels you, then Apocalypto is just what you're looking for.

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Set in Yucatán in the 16th century, Apocalypto portrays the journey of Jaguar Paw (Rudy Youngblood), a member of a small Mexican tribe who is abducted by Mayan raiders. His escape from the Mayans and journey back to his family is a harrowing, beautiful, absolutely engaging race against time.

The Green Knight (2021)

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The Green Knight is another hero's journey, and like The Odyssey, based on an ever-popular myth. David Lowery's strange, gorgeous fable is a retelling of the 14th-century poem, Sir Gawain and the Green Knight. In it, a mythical Green Knight challenges Gawain (Dev Patel) to an impossible challenge that will determine whether he's ready to be a knight or not.

Gawain goes on an Odyssey of his own, encountering talking foxes, giants, and thieves. Unlike The Odyssey, though, the trials Gawain encounters all serve to ready him for his final one, his confrontation with the frightening, though fatherly, Green Knight. The ending is unexpected and will have you mulling it over for a long time.