Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has inspired audiences to revisit one of Greek mythology’s biggest Hollywood epics.
Since opening in theaters this summer, The Odyssey has dominated conversations thanks to its $900 million global box office, critical acclaim, and ambitious adaptation of Homer’s legendary poem. Now, the impact is extending beyond theaters. As audiences dive deeper into Greek mythology, one earlier Hollywood epic is finding a surprising second life on streaming despite never winning over critics.
Whenever a major blockbuster captures this type of cultural conversation, audiences often look for similar movies after leaving the theater. That appears to be happening now with one of the biggest Greek epics of the 2000s, making it the perfect movie to watch after The Odyssey.
Wolfgang Petersen’s Troy has climbed streaming charts across multiple countries, giving the 2004 historical epic a new audience years after its mixed critical reception. According to streaming rankings, the Brad Pitt-led movie has recently appeared among the most-watched movies on HBO Max in several international markets while also charting on other platforms in select regions.
Despite commercial success upon release, the epic movie received a mixed response from critics and currently holds a 53% Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience reception has generally been stronger over the years, however, and the movie has remained one of Hollywood’s most recognizable adaptations of Greek mythology thanks to its star-studded cast and ambitious scale.
Led by Pitt as Achilles, the ensemble also includes Eric Bana as Hector, Orlando Bloom as Paris, Diane Kruger as Helen, Brian Cox as Agamemnon, Peter O’Toole as Priam, Brendan Gleeson as Menelaus, and Sean Bean as Odysseus. Although Troy adapts Homer’s Iliad rather than The Odyssey, the two stories are directly connected. The Trojan War sets the stage for Odysseus’ decade-long journey home, making it a natural companion piece to Nolan’s adaptation.
Bean’s supporting turn as Odysseus even offers an early look at the hero before the events that define his legendary voyage. Ahead of The Odyssey‘s release, some speculated that he would reprise his role as Odysseus before Matt Damon was cast.
Unlike Nolan’s film, Troy largely strips away the supernatural aspects of Greek mythology. Rather than focusing on gods and monsters, Petersen grounds the conflict in the human cost of war, emphasizing rivalries, political ambition, loyalty, and revenge. That more grounded approach divided critics when the movie premiered, but it has also helped the story age into a sweeping historical epic.
Despite receiving mixed reviews, Troy was a commercial success upon its 2004 release, grossing $497.4 million worldwide against a reported $175 million budget. The latest streaming resurgence suggests the historical epic continues to find new audiences more than two decades later. This also comes as theaters are enjoying one of their biggest years in recent memory. With The Odyssey becoming a major hit and Spider-Man: Brand New Day setting box office records, audiences are clearly embracing event movies again.
More than 20 years after its release, Troy is enjoying that momentum. The Odyssey has inspired viewers to revisit one of Hollywood’s biggest Greek epics.
