13 Very Different Takes on the Greek Gods in Film and TV

We’ve long been in the midst of a reimagining of Greek myth — these can be conscious of the original setting of the stories of Hesiod and Homer, as is from Emily Wilson’s searing translation of “The Iliad,” as well as the somewhat less faithful raft of novels taking marginalized characters in Greek myth as their protagonists and the platforming perfection of “Hades.” But likewise, the jazz funeral that is “Hadestown,” the apotheosis of fanfic and webcomics that is “Lore Olympus,” and now, several different films and TV shows all play with the Greek gods using bits of our own contemporary context.

The latest entry in the pantheon, Charlie Covell’s “Kaos,” has a surface layer of Gen-Z hedonism in its look and style — Zeus (Jeff Goldblum) in a tracksuit, throwing tantrums in a golden palace. But the idea of the Greek Gods as disappointing dads in Hawaiian shirts is equally central to the “Percy Jackson” series, now incarnated as “Percy Jackson and the Olympians” on Disney+. Production designer Dan Hennah and costume designer Tish Monaghan blend archetypical hoplite gear with goofy orange camp T-shirts; the show gives the mythological entities that Percy (Walter Scobell), Annabeth (Leah Jeffries), and Grover (Aryan Simhadri) encounter free reign to assert their personalities through clothing, style, and, in the case of Mr. D (Jason Mantzoukas), a mild addiction to Diet Coke.

More from IndieWire

• 'The Luckiest Man in America' Review: Paul Walter Hauser Rigs a Classic Game Show in a Sleazy Contained Thriller

• 'Bonjour Tristesse' Review: Once Adapted by Otto Preminger, Fran?oise Sagan's Novel Gets Another Cinematic Freshening

• 'Nutcrackers' Review: David Gordon Green Returns to Heartfelt Cinema and Gives Ben Stiller His 'Uncle Buck' Moment in the Process

In honor of that inventive melding of ancient stories with the modern baggage of American pop culture, we found 13 different examples of depictions of the Greek gods in film and television. Now, we’re talking just the classic Olympians here. You should absolutely stop reading this article and turn on Pier Paolo Pasolini’s 1969 take on “Medea” if you haven’t seen it yet and want a visually searing depiction of a Greek myth with modern relevance — or grab the nearest classicist you know and watch them watch Wolfgang Petersen’s “Troy” for the ultimate experience in schadenfreude. But we limited our choices to depictions of Zeus, Poseidon, Hades, Hera, Demeter, Athena, Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite, Hephaestus, Hermes, and Dionysus (Hestia is too cool for this list anyway).

There are various ways to visually interpret the Greek gods, from hewing to ancient Greek art and clothing styles to fully modern dress and attitude. Size is also variable, with some stories trying to big up the gods on a billowing cloud-land above; others fully integrate gods and mortals since the gods’ concerns are identical to our own. The Olympians just have more time and resources to pursue them. But the best versions of the Greek gods are the ones that work within the worlds they’re occupying, as opposed to trying to aim (mixing metaphors here) for a Platonic ideal.

Best of IndieWire

• The 17 Best Thrillers Streaming on Netflix in September, from 'Fair Play' to 'Emily the Criminal'

• The 24 Best Teen Movies of the 21st Century (So Far)

• The 33 Best Plot Twists of the 21st Century, Ranked

Sign up for Indiewire's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.