With Dwayne Johnson’s HERCULES heading into theaters next week, we thought it was a good time to reflect on some of the cooler mythological movie moments that have graced the big screen since they started translating everything from Homer’s The Iliad to Norse Mythology (as well as some actual history, albeit heavily sensationalized). The sword-and-sandal epics have long been a tradition in Hollywood and we’ve seen many a cool moment from the long list of entries, most of them involving some particularly brutal swordplay, bickering gods, otherworldly creatures, and a hero’s journey that is often layered in tragedy.
In many ways the stories and tales from the various mythological stories out there serve as a precursor to the superhero genre, which often mimics the attributes of the great heroes, dastardly villains, and strange creatures that inhabit those worlds. There are TONS of moments to choose from and very hard to narrow down to just ten, so feel free to let us know which moments YOU feel deserve a spot on the top 10. Enjoy!