Long-Lost Greek Epic Christopher Nolan Almost Directed Finally Streams

The recent box-office success of Christopher Nolan's latest epic, The Odyssey, has profoundly reignited interest in movies based on Greek myths and epics. This resurgence is bringing older adaptations back into the limelight, with a 1997 television limited series adaptation of Homer's epic experiencing renewed popularity on the domestic iTunes chart. This trend also extends to major cinematic productions like Troy and Clash of the Titans, which are now witnessing a spike in viewership and are slated for upcoming streaming availability.

The 2004 film Troy is a notable beneficiary of this renewed interest. It is currently seeing a resurgence on home video and streaming platforms, notably available internationally on HBO Max and set to debut domestically on Peacock on August 1. Interestingly, this epic project nearly marked Christopher Nolan's directorial debut for a large-scale studio film. Following his critical successes with Memento and Insomnia, Nolan was offered the director's chair after Wolfgang Petersen, who was developing the film at Warner Bros., left to pursue a Batman versus Superman movie. However, when the superhero project fell apart, Petersen was reinstated as director of Troy, leading to Nolan being offered the opportunity to direct Batman Begins instead, a decision that famously altered the course of his career.

Troy was a massive production, with a reported budget of $185 million, ultimately grossing nearly $500 million worldwide. The film boasts an ensemble cast including Brad Pitt as Achilles, Eric Bana, Brian Cox, Rose Byrne, Orlando Bloom, Diane Kruger, and Sean Bean portraying Odysseus. Despite its box-office success, Troy received mixed reviews, holding a 53% score on Rotten Tomatoes, where the consensus describes it as "a brawny, entertaining spectacle, but lacking emotional resonance." Brad Pitt himself later admitted to having a less than positive experience working on the movie, which influenced his subsequent career choices. In stark contrast, Nolan's The Odyssey has garnered exceptional critical acclaim, achieving a "Certified Fresh" 95% critics' score and a "Verified Hot" 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Adding to the renewed enthusiasm for Greek mythological cinema, the big-budget fantasy films Clash of the Titans (2010) and its sequel Wrath of the Titans (2012) are also slated to debut on the Peacock streaming service on August 1. The 2010 Clash of the Titans, a major box-office hit that spawned a sequel despite critical negativity, was released just months after James Cameron's Avatar redefined the film industry. In an effort to capitalize on the 3D craze sparked by Avatar, Warner Bros. opted for a hasty post-production 3D conversion, which became one of the film's most heavily criticized aspects and is often cited as an example of poorly executed 3D. Notably, Avatar star Sam Worthington headlined Clash of the Titans, marking another significant role after his appearance in Terminator Salvation. His first three major Hollywood films collectively grossed over $3.5 billion.

Directed by Louis Leterrier, Clash of the Titans (2010) is based on the myth of Perseus. Its notable cast includes Liam Neeson as Zeus, Ralph Fiennes as Hades, Danny Huston as Poseidon, and Luke Evans as Apollo, alongside Gemma Arterton, Mads Mikkelsen, and Alexa Davalos. Positioned as a remake of the cult classic 1981 version, which was famed for its stop-motion animation, the 2010 film employed state-of-the-art visual effects. The film currently holds a 27% score on Rotten Tomatoes, with critics stating it "doesn't offer enough visual thrills to offset the deficiencies of its script." Despite this poor critical reception, Clash of the Titans achieved a substantial worldwide gross of nearly $500 million against a reported budget of $125 million, demonstrating the commercial appeal of Greek mythological epics.