Zeus is one of the great mythological figures. The Greek God of the sky will be making another cinematic appearance in the Thor: Love and Thunder, where Gorr the God Butcher will no doubt make short work of him. Russell Crowe, who will play Zeus in Thor: Love and Thunder, s the exclusive Zeus club consisting of some excellent actors.
With so many ways to interpret Zeus, actors have had the opportunity to put their own spin on the ancient deity. Surprisingly, there aren't that many cinematic Zeus', but that just makes the few that are here stand out all the more.
Russell Crowe (Thor: Love And Thunder)
Russell Crowe will make his Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in the film, Thor: Love and Thunder. With Taika Waititi at the helm again, this will probably be a really memorable role. With Gorr the God Butcher, played by Christain Bale, entering the franchise, he needs some gods to butcher, and Zeus is likely one of his targets.
Without having seen any footage of the character at this point, it's not clear how he stacks up with the other actors who played Zeus. From the brief footage in the initial trailer, it looks like he's reveling in the praise of Mount Olympus. Only time will tell where he'll fall on the ranking after the movie drops in July.
Luke Evans (Immortals)
Immortals is a very stylish adaptation of Greek Mythology, with Theseus at the heart of the story. Unlike other mythology films, this film takes inspiration from many different mythological stories, which ends up making it unfocused. There are plenty of good visual representations of the gods, but the story doesn't it.
In Immortals, Zeus is played by Luke Evans, who orders the gods not to interfere with mortal affairs unless Titans are involved. While visually the movie portrays Zeus in a very cool way, Luke Evans might have been too young to play the role at the time. Zeus is a ruthless god, but Luke Evans didn't seem up to the task at this point in his career.
Niall MacGinnis (Jason And The Argonauts)
Jason and the Argonauts, one of Ranker's favorite Greek Mythology movies, is the story of Jason and his quest for the Golden Fleece. His journey is helped along by the gods, namely Hera, after he refuses help from Zeus. Jason's journey takes him to the far reaches of the world.
Niall MacGinnis plays Zeus in this film. At this time in Hollywood, the Greek Gods were considered romantic figures, and MacGinnis portrays Zeus as more of a stern father to the other Gods than the ruthless king he actually was. While it's a good performance, there's not really much to it.
Sean Bean (Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief)
Sean Bean is known for many standout roles, but many have probably forgotten about his role as Zeus in first adaptation of the popular Percy Jackson novel series was about Percy being tasked with finding out who stole Zeus' lightning from him in order to avoid an all-out war of the gods.
Sean Bean is an incredible actor, but it doesn't feel like his heart was in this one. The source material is beloved by many for its accurate depictions of Greek gods and heroes, but that doesn't come off in the movie. Bean still gives a good performance as Zeus, however viewers can only wonder what a more faithful script could have brought out of him. Perhaps Percy Jackson and the Olympians will fair better.
Laurence Olivier (Clash Of The Titans)
One film that's considered to be one of the best Greek mythology adaptations is Clash of the Titans, also another iconic Ray Harryhausen work. The story is of Perseus' quest to save the princess, Andromeda. Perseus is the bastard son of Zeus and was banished as a little child. But now that he's returned, he has to battle Medusa and the Kraken in order to complete his quest.
Olivier is one of the greatest actors of his generation. He's able to play Zeus with rage and mean it. When he orders Poseidon to "let loose the Kraken", there's a sense of fear from the other Gods that help to sell the wrath of the god of the sky.
Liam Neeson (Clash Of The Titans & Wrath Of The Titans)
The remake of the classic Clash of the Titans isn't as beloved as the original, but Liam Neeson shines in this film, often literally, as Zeus. The sequel, Wrath of the Titans, strays from the story of Perseus and tells the story of the end of the gods as the Titan Cronos is set free.
Liam Neeson has the iconic line "release the Kraken" in the first film and gets to deliver an exciting action scene in the second film. His presence is felt throughout the entirety of both films, even when he's chained up in Tartarus in the second. Zeus is an integral role in both films and it's hard to imagine anyone else playing him.
Rip Torn (Hercules)
Disney's wildly inaccurate retelling of the story of Hercules is a beloved animated film. Here Zeus is portrayed as a loving father who helps his son succeed at being a hero so Hercules can the Gods on Olympus. Hercules is one of the most imaginative retellings of Greek mythology and one of the most stylish animated films that Disney ever made.
Rip Torn is a pitch-perfect Zeus. Torn would even go on to play Zeus in the animated series connected to the movie. He's not the Zeus from mythology, even though he could have easily played him, but the interpretation of Zeus works well for the story they're telling. After all, the film is primarily a kid's movie. At the end of the day, there are not many animated characters more iconic than Rip Torn as Zeus.
