00:10Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we're counting down our picks for the greatest
00:15games, movies, shows and beyond that brought Greek mythology to life.
00:37This Kratos may not come from Greek mythology, but the world around him absolutely does.
00:43The original God of War trilogy throws players directly into conflicts with Ares, Athena,
00:49Poseidon, Zeus, and nearly every major figure in the Greek pantheon.
01:07The series famously takes enormous liberties with the myths, transforming ancient stories
01:13into operatic tales of revenge and trauma.
01:17Yet, despite the spectacle, the God of War games demonstrate a deep familiarity with the
01:22source material and its themes of fate, hubris, prophecy, and divine cruelty.
01:27Plus, at a baseline level, they're just really fun games.
01:30Zeus!
01:31Your son has returned!
01:34I bring the destruction of Olympus!
01:38Number 9.
01:39Hercules.
01:40He's a hero!
01:42He was a kid with his act on track!
01:45Zero to hero!
01:46In your time's life!
01:48Zero to hero!
01:49Just like that!
01:50Disney may play fast and loose with some of the details, but who can resist a classic adventure
01:56musical from the Mouse House?
01:57This 1997 animated feature transformed the classic hero into an inspiring role model for
02:04all ages.
02:04And if you look deep enough, large swaths of his story are still there.
02:09You've got the gods of Olympus, the Hydra, Pegasus, the Fates, and perhaps most importantly,
02:14Hades himself.
02:15Meg, my sweet, deluded little minion.
02:19Aren't we forgetting one teensy-weensy but ever so crucial little tiny detail?
02:24I owe you!
02:26Purists may object to some of the changes, but the movie succeeds where many adaptations fail.
02:31It inspires audiences to learn more about the mythology it's based on.
02:36You can't ask for a more magical trip to Olympus.
02:38Stop!
02:39You can't do this to me!
02:40You can't!
02:43Ha!
02:44Okay, well I deserve that.
02:46Number 8.
02:46Mythos.
02:47Stephen Fry.
02:48This is the story of Pandora who was created by the gods as a revenge for mankind having
02:55the impertinence to accept the gift of fire from Prometheus.
02:59At the start of this collection, author Stephen Fry assures readers you don't need any background
03:05knowledge to enjoy his work.
03:07Mythos stands wholly on its own as both a gateway to the dense stories of mythology, as well as
03:13a love letter to some of its greatest narratives.
03:15It's quite the feat.
03:17This hailing from someone like Fry, who's known in comedic and broadcast spaces, makes
03:22the classic fables much more palatable for a modern audience.
03:40The result feels less like reading a textbook and more like trading stories around a campfire.
03:46Not only does Mythos require no assigned reading to enjoy, but we can't think of a better
03:51entry into the world of gods and monsters.
03:54If you're in need of something godly to watch, take a peek at this QR code, and check out
03:59our pop culture livestream.
04:00One last little creature was left behind to beat its wings hopelessly in the jar forever.
04:07Its name was Elpis.
04:10Number 7.
04:11Blood of Zeus.
04:18Set during the aftermath of the Titan War, this bold animated series takes on Greek tragedy
04:24with divine results.
04:26Blood of Zeus incorporates familiar figures like Hera, Zeus, Hermes, and Seraphim, while
04:31drawing heavily from their classic stories.
04:34The show's interpretation of Hera in particular captures her jealousy and devotion without reducing
04:40her to a one-note antagonist.
04:50Combined with large-scale battles and anime-inspired action, the series succeeds in feeling modern
04:55while remaining recognizably Greek.
04:58Our only complaint is that the planned five-season story got cut down to three.
05:02Netflix is going to the underworld for that one.
05:13Number 6.
05:15The Song of Achilles.
05:16Madeline Miller.
05:25Despite its name, this isn't just an Achilles story.
05:28And it's all the better for it.
05:30Told primarily through the eyes of the hero's lover, Patroclus, Madeline Miller reframes the
05:35Trojan War as a deeply personal love story.
05:45The novel largely embraces its roots, exploring the emotional consequences of choices readers
05:51already know are coming.
05:53Achilles remains proud, brilliant, and flawed, exactly as mythology remembers him.
05:58The difference is that Miller allows audiences to understand him not just as a heroic figure,
06:03but as a young man destined for heartbreak.
06:06Take it from us, though, and pack a few tissues for this one.
06:09Certainly I hope that readers might be inspired to check out the Greek myths, to go back to
06:13the Iliad.
06:14I would feel like I had served Homer if a person decided that they wanted to go look at the
06:18Iliad after they read the book.
06:20Number 5.
06:21Chaos.
06:22No.
06:24No.
06:26Hello.
06:27Who are you?
06:29I'm his wife, little one.
06:31No.
06:32No.
06:33Well done.
06:34I mean…
06:35Whoever decided to cast Jeff Goldblum as Zeus deserves a one-way ticket to Olympus, stat.
06:41He gives the performance of a lifetime in chaos, which allows him to chew all sorts of scenery
06:47as the egotistical king, desperate to hold onto his power.
06:50That becomes difficult when three unwitting humans become involved in a prophecy to take down
06:56the order of the gods.
06:57Yeah, it's kind of, well, chaotic.
07:00But beneath the contemporary coat of paint, chaos paints a surprisingly accurate picture
07:05of the vain and messy life of godhood.
07:07I'm the one that Zeus punished for giving humans the gift of fire.
07:11I'm a hero, but you're thinking I'm just some prick who murdered his boyfriend, right?
07:15No.
07:15It's just a shame that Netflix shafted it after one season.
07:18Wait, is there an echo in here?
07:20You're where you belong.
07:21Down.
07:22In.
07:22The.
07:23Dark.
07:23Dark.
07:28Number 4.
07:30Hadestown.
07:40Way down in Hadestown, there's a jazzy opera still kicking around on Broadway.
07:46Written and composed by Anais Mitchell, this Tony-winning piece of theatre tells the tragic
07:51story of Orpheus and Eurydice.
07:53It's accompanied by brilliant melodies, powerful storytelling, and some of the greatest musical
07:58moments you'll ever see on stage.
08:07The Tony for best musical feels like an understatement here.
08:11Hadestown is a true modern classic.
08:13It revitalizes the core myth by grounding it in timeless themes of hope and labor.
08:18Not to mention the devastating consequences of doubt creeping in at the wrong moment.
08:26No.
08:313.
08:32The Odyssey.
08:36We won no war.
08:43Help me go home.
08:46Long before superheroes dominated multiplexes, Homer wrote one of history's greatest stories.
08:52Christopher Nolan's adaptation brought that epic all the way to the big screen, introducing
08:57mainstream audiences to cyclopses, sirens, gods, and more.
09:01This being Nolan, viewers were treated to unparalleled spectacle, emotional complexity,
09:06and a next-level approach to its famed source material.
09:09Do you see?
09:11My dad is coming home, bringing vengeance.
09:17On principle alone, it's a cinematic experience like nothing else.
09:21But more importantly, Nolan's take on the Odyssey treats Homer's work as more than mere escapism.
09:26There's a reason it's a foundational text generations later, and Nolan is well aware of why.
09:32These are the gods.
09:36Keep us free!
09:41Number 2.
09:42Hades and Hades 2.
09:45Stupid boy.
09:47I told you nobody gets out of here whether alive or dead.
09:51Though how is your wanton ransacking of my domain?
09:54Like a good myth, death is only the beginning for Zagreus.
09:58The Prince of the Underworld has only one goal, escape.
10:02But that's easier said than done when your dad is Hades, and the Underworld is crawling
10:06with all sorts of unfriendly faces.
10:18It's a brilliant concept for a roguelike game, turning death into a gameplay mechanic
10:23that rewards skill and strategy.
10:25However, Hades' award-winning success doesn't just come from its gameplay.
10:29Everything, from its art design to its narrative to its soundtrack, is steeped with deep reverence
10:34for its mythological roots.
10:36It's a great game because of its Greek backdrop, not in spite of it.
10:59Before we continue, check out this single from SoundMojo's Adia, Songs from Iran, reimagining
11:05Persian melodies as modern rock, metal, and pop songs.
11:09Check out the full track and album below.
11:26Number 1.
11:27The Percy Jackson Franchise.
11:28I know I'm not the father you always wanted.
11:32But if you ever need me, I'll be there for you.
11:39If you grew up in the 2000s, odds are you didn't learn Greek mythology in a classroom.
11:44You probably picked it up from a certain snarky seaweed brain, also known as Percy Jackson.
11:50We could spend all day singing Rick Riordan's praises.
11:53The way he effortlessly turns ancient Greek stories into exciting, digestible children's literature is nothing short of breathtaking.
12:09While it's friendly for all ages, Percy Jackson never felt like it was dumbing itself down.
12:14You'll meet Medusa, Hades, Ares, and more across, and Riordan does justice by all of them.
12:20Multiple books, spin-offs, a movie, a TV show, and a Broadway musical later, the verdict is clear.
12:27Percy Jackson is godlike.
12:37Which Greek myth is your absolute favorite?
12:39Let us know in the comments below.
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