Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is taking the world by storm and it’s incredibly likely that after watching it there will be a sword and sandals or Greek myth-sized hole in your life.
Luckily, Homer’s epic has been adapted more than a few times in the history of cinema, so for those who want to live in that world in one way or another – or see a different creative’s take on the story – there are options aplenty. It really all boils down to what you want more of when you walk out of the theater? Maybe it’s more action, maybe it’s a deeper dive into a specific part of the story, or maybe you want a modernized adaptation. There really is something for everyone.
Here are the five movies inspired by Homer’s epic and Greek mythology at large to check out after you finish watching Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”
All 13 Christopher Nolan Movies Ranked
Troy
This is the obvious recommendation since so many people decided to pit “Troy” and “The Odyssey” against each other from the jump. The truth of the matter is both are fun and worth watching for different reasons.
At the end of the day, “Troy” is a full-on action movie. If you want to check out a sword and sandals movie with a heavy emphasis on the “sword” part of the equation, then “Troy” is the movie for you. And if the Trojan Horse scene from “The Odyssey” was the only part of the film that worked for you, then buddy do we have the film for you. But despite the action, Brad Pitt is great as Achilles and Brian Cox is characteristically a scene stealer as Agamemnon.
Streaming on: Philo, YouTube
300
Action is the name of the game for “300.” Zack Snyder’s hyper-stylized adaptation of the Frank Miller comic is a two-hour bloodbath depicting the Battle of Thermopylae. The fighting is iconically bleak and violent while tinged with comic book hyperbole. If you wanted more swords running through people or didn’t think there was enough blood in “The Odyssey,” then “300” is going to have all the decapitations you want and more.
Streaming on: Fandango
Hercules
“Hercules” remains one of the best movies in Disney’s animated filmography — great music and voice acting performances elevated it to an instant classic and longtime fan-favorite of the genre.
So if you’re looking for a bit more of the Greek gods and goddesses featured in Nolan “The Odyssey” — but with less of the stress inflicted on Matt Damon’s Odysseus — it could be the perfect film to fill the void. With “The Odyssey” fresh in your mind, there are likely to be plenty of “Leonardo DiCaprio pointing and whistling meme” moments while returning to watch “Hercules.” Plus, the music is among the best of anything from Disney’s golden age of movie making. De-stress after “The Odyssey” with a family-friendly classic.
Streaming on: Disney+
The Return
If the last 45 minutes of “The Odyssey” was your favorite part of the movie as Damon’s Odysseus returned to Ithaca and his wife’s many male suitors got the comeuppance they deserved, then 2025’s under-seen “The Return” is more than worth your time.
The film stars Ralph Fiennes in the physically transformed role of Odysseus and just tells the story of his return to Penelope and final, violent confrontation with the suitors. For those who wished even more of Nolan’s film focused on the story’s conclusion, “The Return” is ready for your viewing pleasure.
Streaming on: Paramount+
O Brother, Where Art Thou?
And if you want a more contemporary telling of Homer’s epic, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” is your ticket. The film is set in the 1930s and stars George Clooney as Ulysses, a man serving hard time who manages to break out of his hard labor sentence while still shackled to two other prisoners. The three of them embark on a quest to find both a more secure freedom as well as some treasure. Their homeward bound journeys along the way mirror Odysseus’ from the cyclops to the sirens, and is overall the Coen Brothers at their kookiest best.
Streaming on: The Criterion Channel
