Clash of the Titans (2010 film)
Encyclopedia
Clash of the Titans is a 2010 fantasy
and action
remake
of the 1981 film of the same name
(the rights to which had been acquired by Warner Bros.
in 1996). The story is very loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus
. Directed by Louis Leterrier
and starring Sam Worthington
, the film was originally set for standard release on March 26, 2010. However, it was later announced that the film would be converted to 3D
and was released on April 2, 2010.
The story resumes with a fisherman by name of Spyros finding a casket, bearing a baby still living, clasped in the arms of his mother’s corpse, afloat in the sea. Spyros and his wife, Marmara, raise the baby as their own and name him "Perseus".
Years later, Perseus is fishing with his family when they witness from their ship soldiers from the city of Argos destroying a statue of Zeus. The Gods, infuriated at this desecration, unleash the Furies - flying beasts who pursue mortal sinners. The soldiers are attacked and slaughtered by the Furies. The Furies merge and take the form of Hades, who destroys the ship Perseus and his family are on. His family perishes, but Perseus survives and is found by some other survivors, soldiers from Argos led by Draco.
Perseus is brought before King Kepheus and Queen Cassiopeia who are celebrating the campaign against the Gods. The revelry is cut short by the arrival of Hades, who has been given leave by Zeus to punish the mortals for their defiance of the Gods. Hades proclaims that in the upcoming solar eclipse, he will unleash the Kraken against Argos unless the Princess Andromeda is offered as a sacrifice. Before leaving, he reveals that Perseus is a demigod, the son of Zeus.
Perseus is imprisoned by Draco and, in captivity, meets Io, who tells him of his origin; Many years before, King Acrisius also tried declaring war against the Gods. To punish him, Zeus impersonated Acrisius and impregnated his wife, Queen Dänae. Acrisius, driven mad with rage, orders the execution of Dänae and the newborn baby and casts them into the sea in a coffin. As punishment for his continued defiance, Zeus also strikes Acrisius with lightning, transforming him into a monster. Io also reveals that she was cursed with immortality after refusing to give in to Poseidon's advances and has watched over Perseus his entire life, beginning with watching from ashore as his adoptive parents rescue him from the floating coffin, to the present, always protecting him, as he is prophesized to be the only one able to stand up to the Gods.
As the Cult of Hades, led by the insane Prokopion (Luke Treadaway
), grows in number and demands Andromeda's sacrifice, a desperate Kepheus asks Perseus to lead the King's Guard to visit the Stygian Witches in order to discover a way to kill the Kraken. Perseus — wishing to avenge the death of his family — accepts. Perseus and the guards head off on their quest joined by hunters, Ozal and Kucuk. Hades, in hopes of stopping Perseus, finds Acrisius, now known as Calibos, and grants him superhuman abilities in exchange for Calibos assuring Perseus will die before he reaches the Witches.
Zeus is convinced by Apollo (Luke Evans
), who doesn't trust Hades, to give Perseus a chance and presents him with an enchanted sword forged on Mt. Olympus and a winged horse, Pegasus. Perseus refuses both gifts but a wise Draco puts the sword into safekeeping. Shortly thereafter, they are attacked by Calibos. Perseus barely manages to hold him at bay and is bitten by Calibos in a desperate move. Draco severs Calibos's hand causing Calibos to flee. The band gives chase only to be attacked by giant scorpions summoned by Calibos’s blood. Although they manage to kill some of them, they are ultimately surrounded by even larger scorpions until they are saved by the Djinn, a band of Arabic desert sorcerers led by Sheik Suleiman (Ian Whyte
). The Djinn, also wishing for the Gods' defeat, lends their aid to Perseus and his band.
The group arrives at the lair of the Stygian Witches and learns from them that the only possibility for killing the Kraken is with the head of a gorgon Medusa
who is residing in a temple in the Underworld. Medusa is able to turn any living creature into stone by making eye contact, and thus capturing her head is essential for battling the Kraken. As they prepare to head into the Underworld, Perseus is approached by Zeus, who offers to make him a God, but when he refuses, gives him a golden drachma; a fare for Charon
, the ferryman of the Underworld.
Perseus, Io, Sulieman, Draco and his remaining men Solon (Liam Cunningham), Eusebius (Nicholas Hoult
) and Ixas (Hans Matheson
) arrive at the Underworld and the men enter Medusa's lair while Io remains outside, unable to enter. Medusa easily kills Solon, Eusebius and Ixas and fatally wounds Draco. Sulieman and Draco sacrifice themselves to wound Medusa. The badly wounded Medusa is beheaded by Perseus, who takes her head. As he is leaving the temple, he witnesses Calibos creep up behind and murder Io. Perseus and Calibos engage in mortal combat with Calibos having the upper hand and disarming Perseus. Finally coming to terms with who he is, Perseus picks up the Olympian sword and pierces Calibos through the heart, turning him back into Acrisius in human form restoring him to sanity and humility for one last moment.
After saying his goodbyes to the dying Io, who urges him forward to save Andromeda and Argos before she dissolves into an ethereal vapor, Perseus mounts Pegasus and hastens back to Argos. In the meantime Zeus has ordered the Kraken's release. The Cult goes to the palace and seizes Andromeda in order to offer her to the Kraken. While Kraken ravages Argos, Hades reveals to Zeus that while the Gods have been surviving on the people’s adoration, he has been feeding on people's fear and his monster has been channeling even more fear. While the Gods have become weaker, Hades has now grown powerful enough to take on Mount Olympus and even destroy it in revenge for his betrayal so many years before. Realizing his mistake too late, Zeus can only rely on Perseus.
In Argos, Hades unleashes the Furies against Perseus and they manage to snag away from him the sack holding Medusa’s head. In an intense aerial chase with Perseus riding Pegasus, he manages to retrieve the bag, just in time for the Kraken to fully emerge. The Kraken causes massive damage to Argos before heading to devour Andromeda. Before the Kraken is able to eat Andromeda, Perseus races to open the bag, unveil the head of Medusa and face it to the Kraken, who makes eye contact, turning it into stone. The massive statue cracks and the falling debris kills Prokopion and Kepheus, while Andromeda falls into the sea. Hades appears to confront Perseus. Perseus in defiance raises his sword to the heavens and calling upon Zeus, throws his sword at Hades. A lightning bolt engulfs the sword and banishes Hades to the Underworld once more.
Perseus dives in to the sea and rescues Andromeda, now the Queen of Argos. She asks him to stay by her side as King, but he claims he is not a leader, but simply a man. Her people will respect her as their Queen. After flying away with Pegasus, Perseus arrives on the island where Zeus's statue was destroyed, and where his family was killed. Zeus meets with him, thanks Perseus for risking so much, and offers once more to make him a God and live with him on Mt. Olympus. Perseus declines, saying he has every thing he needs on earth in his mortal form. As Zeus leaves he says Perseus needs a companion, and his parting gift is to revive and present Io. Perseus and Io approach one another to embrace.
, rather than Zeus, gives Perseus the coin to pay Charon, while also observing that Perseus' arrogance makes him "truly Zeus's son"); others were absent altogether, notably one which features an extended debate among all of the Gods of Olympus, most of whom had few or no lines in the film after this scene was cut, and another scene in which Apollo sits in Zeus' throne while Athena
warns him that Hades will destroy all of the other Gods.
remake project started in 2002 under producer Adam Schroeder
and writers John Glenn
and Travis Wright. They wanted to drop the "cheesy chessboard manipulation of characters" by the gods. In The Wright/Glenn version of Clash, various pantheons were mixed together. The Main Villain was the Sumerian
Sea Goddess
of Death and Destruction, Tiamat
. Perseus
was originally kidnapped by an avatar
of an unidentified Cthonian
Earth Goddess, who planned to have him married to Andromeda so as to develop better relations with humanity. The Earth Goddess and Perseus proceed to fall in love. Zeus prepared to engage in war with Tiamat; taking the aids of other gods (such as Thoth
, Marduk
, Yahweh
and Osiris
). A High Priest named Fantasos starts a Cult of Tiamat that quickly conquers the city. Andromeda was originally a promiscuous spoiled Princess who possessed various male sex slaves. Though the mixing of Mythologies and the Perseus-Earth Goddess romance was abandoned, the concept of a Goddess enraged at arrogant humans and demanding a sacrifice and the Cult of the Evil God (Changed from Tiamat
to Hades
) was retained into the final production. Producer Basil Iwanyk revived the project in 2006 with a rewrite by Travis Beacham
, a fan of the original, who intended the script to be "darker and more realistic". Lawrence Kasdan
and director Stephen Norrington
signed on in 2007. Kasdan gave the script another rewrite from the Beacham version. But Norrington was unsure about his direction for the project because he did not grow up with the original. Leterrier, who did, contacted Norrington through their shared agent about replacing him. By June 2008 Leterrier joined the project and Warner Bros. greenlit the film. Leterrier noted the original Clash of the Titans inspired the climax of his previous film The Incredible Hulk
– a battle in a burnt-down courtroom with temple-like columns – and has compared modern superheroes to Greek mythology
.
Writers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi took over the script during July 2008 and used Beacham's draft as a starting point. They focused on the mythology and telling the story through Leterrier's eyes. Hay and Manfredi had to rewrite the script in less than a year using a very active process. Leterrier sought Ray Harryhausen
's involvement, and reunited with Hulk concept artist Aaron Sims, who had already been working on Clash of the Titans with Norrington.
Louis Leterrier, during an interview, revealed that he is a big Saint Seiya
(also known as Knights of the Zodiac) fan. He specifically cited the armor that the Gods wear in his film remake as a sign of homage and respect to Saint Seiya. Masami Kurumada
(the author of Saint Seiya) was even asked to collaborate with the production team on poster designs.
Additionally, Hay wanted to pay homage to the original film and coaxed Bubo the tin owl to come out of retirement, reprising his role as himself.
Sam Worthington took the role of Perseus because he wanted to make a Clash of the Titans for his nine year old nephew's generation. During filming the cast had a few laughs about the costumes but he took it very seriously "so the audience doesn't have to." Worthington also did not wear sandals while filming, he instead painted toes on his sports shoes so he could perform the stunts better.
, and also at Pinewood Studios and at Longcross Studios, near Chertsey, in Surrey. Filming also took place in Wales
, the Canary Islands
(Spain) (primarily at the World Heritage Site
, Teide National Park
in Tenerife
), Maspalomas
Dunes, Gran Canaria
, and Timanfaya National Park
in Lanzarote
. Aerial photography was conducted in Iceland
and Ethiopia
.
Filming of volcano scenes at the Harriet hole in Dinorwic Slate Quarry
in Wales
wrapped at the end of July. This slate quarry has also been used for locations for Willow
and Street Fighter
.
, the capital city of the Canary Islands
.
and released on March 30, 2010. Matthew Bellamy
was originally hired to write the music, but abandoned the project midway through after his band Muse
started a tour
.
reports that 29% of critics have given the film a positive review, based on 225 reviews with an average rating of 4.3/10. The site's consensus stated "An obviously affectionate remake of the 1981 original, Louis Leterrier's Clash of the Titans doesn't offer enough visual thrills to offset the deficiencies of its script." On Metacritic
, the film was assigned a weighted average score of 39 out of 100, based on 37 reviews from mainstream critics.
In his review for the Chicago Sun-Times
, Roger Ebert
gave the film 3 stars out of 4, stating "I don't say it's good cinema, although I recognize the craftsmanship that went into it. I don't say it's good acting, when the men have so much facial hair they all look like Liam Neeson
. I like the energy, the imagination, the silliness". Richard Corliss of Time understands that many critics did not like it, but found the film "a full-throttle action-adventure, played unapologetically straight." He dismissed other critics' complaints, writing that the film is "very watchable in 2-D", that other critics were biased by nostalgia
for the original, and that 15 seconds of Bubo is enough for his tastes. Colin Covert stated the film was "all flash, trash, and crash; a tasty hunk of baloney; mindless yet shamelessly thrilling." He considered Worthington to have a "Shatneresque heaviness about him", and found that all the laughs came from the fact that the heavyweight actors were "slumming through their roles." James Berardinelli
gave it a mixed review, concluding that Clash of the Titans is a flawed but mildly entertaining regurgitation of Greek mythological elements, but it's also an example of how poorly-executed 3D can hamstring a would-be spectacle.
Peter Travers
of Rolling Stone awarded the film 1 star out of four, criticizing it ", with good actors going for the paycheck and using beards and heavy makeup to hide their shame." In a review for the Chicago Tribune
, Turan complained that the film is worse in 3D; he went on further to explain that the action scenes are "more of a distraction than an enhancement", with the battle scenes being cluttered and "harder to follow rather than exciting." Claudia Puig for USA Today wrote that the film's "most outstanding achievement is the ability to be both chaotic and dull." Justification for her opinion came from the frantic action sequences and muddled special effects. Dan Kois blamed the director for making a "muddled disappointment" instead of a "camp classic that could have endured for generations." Kois also accused Leterrier of not knowing how to direct an action scene, and that the film is lacking in "wit and flair". David Stratton also criticized the film's action scenes, suggesting to Leterrier: "check out your local video store for something by Kurosawa, or almost any movie with sword fight scenes, to see how it's done." AskMen.com felt actor Sam Worthington's heavy Australian drawl was so distracting it "manages not only to single-handedly unhinge any suspension of disbelief we might have had, but his fellow actors often seem to be visibly struggling as they impart fantastical ancient truths to a true-blue brickie in a studded leather dress."
and the previous winner How to Train Your Dragon
. Clash of the Titans made $163,214,888 domestically, as of July 22, 2010, and $330,000,000 overseas, as of September 19, 2010, for a worldwide total of $493,214,888. On the all-time worldwide chart it ranks 80th and in North America it is below #100.
and Blu-ray combo pack on July 16 (Mexico), July 26 (UK), July 27 (USA) and (Canada), October 6 (Japan) 2010. A Blu-ray 3D version of the film was also released and also comes packed with the 2D version, the DVD version and a Digital Copy.
and Xbox 360
with the film's home video release. It was originally planned to come out in March 2010, though the game was delayed due to difficulties. The game follows Perseus on his quest to fight Hades and his minions.
began on March 23, 2011 with Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson returning to star and is scheduled to be released on March 30, 2012.
Fantasy film
Fantasy films are films with fantastic themes, usually involving magic, supernatural events, make-believe creatures, or exotic fantasy worlds. The genre is considered to be distinct from science fiction film and horror film, although the genres do overlap...
and action
Action film
Action film is a film genre where one or more heroes is thrust into a series of challenges that require physical feats, extended fights and frenetic chases...
remake
Remake
A remake is a piece of media based primarily on an earlier work of the same medium.-Film:The term "remake" is generally used in reference to a movie which uses an earlier movie as the main source material, rather than in reference to a second, later movie based on the same source...
of the 1981 film of the same name
Clash of the Titans (1981 film)
Clash of the Titans is an American 1981 fantasy–adventure film involving the Greek hero Perseus. It was released on June 12, 1981 and earned a gross profit of $41 million domestically, on a $15 million budget , by which it was the 11th highest grossing film of the year. A novelization of the film...
(the rights to which had been acquired by Warner Bros.
Warner Bros.
Warner Bros. Entertainment, Inc., also known as Warner Bros. Pictures or simply Warner Bros. , is an American producer of film and television entertainment.One of the major film studios, it is a subsidiary of Time Warner, with its headquarters in Burbank,...
in 1996). The story is very loosely based on the Greek myth of Perseus
Perseus
Perseus ,Perseos and Perseas are not used in English. the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty of Danaans there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths of the Twelve Olympians...
. Directed by Louis Leterrier
Louis Leterrier
Louis Leterrier is a French film director whose notable films include the first two Transporter movies, Unleashed , The Incredible Hulk , and Clash of the Titans .-Life and career:...
and starring Sam Worthington
Sam Worthington
Samuel Henry J. "Sam" Worthington is an English born, Australian actor. After almost a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films, Worthington gained Hollywood's attention by playing Marcus Wright in Terminator Salvation and the lead role, Jake Sully, in James Cameron's science...
, the film was originally set for standard release on March 26, 2010. However, it was later announced that the film would be converted to 3D
3-D film
A 3-D film or S3D film is a motion picture that enhances the illusion of depth perception...
and was released on April 2, 2010.
Plot
In ancient times, the Gods, led by Zeus, Poseidon and Hades, betrayed their parents, the Titans, and banished them to the Underworld with the help of the Kraken, a monster born of Hades. The Gods divided the Universe among themselves; Zeus took the skies, Poseidon took the seas, and Hades, tricked by Zeus, was left with the Underworld. The Gods created the mortals, whose faith in the Gods assured their immortality. However, as time passed, mortals began to question their Gods.The story resumes with a fisherman by name of Spyros finding a casket, bearing a baby still living, clasped in the arms of his mother’s corpse, afloat in the sea. Spyros and his wife, Marmara, raise the baby as their own and name him "Perseus".
Years later, Perseus is fishing with his family when they witness from their ship soldiers from the city of Argos destroying a statue of Zeus. The Gods, infuriated at this desecration, unleash the Furies - flying beasts who pursue mortal sinners. The soldiers are attacked and slaughtered by the Furies. The Furies merge and take the form of Hades, who destroys the ship Perseus and his family are on. His family perishes, but Perseus survives and is found by some other survivors, soldiers from Argos led by Draco.
Perseus is brought before King Kepheus and Queen Cassiopeia who are celebrating the campaign against the Gods. The revelry is cut short by the arrival of Hades, who has been given leave by Zeus to punish the mortals for their defiance of the Gods. Hades proclaims that in the upcoming solar eclipse, he will unleash the Kraken against Argos unless the Princess Andromeda is offered as a sacrifice. Before leaving, he reveals that Perseus is a demigod, the son of Zeus.
Perseus is imprisoned by Draco and, in captivity, meets Io, who tells him of his origin; Many years before, King Acrisius also tried declaring war against the Gods. To punish him, Zeus impersonated Acrisius and impregnated his wife, Queen Dänae. Acrisius, driven mad with rage, orders the execution of Dänae and the newborn baby and casts them into the sea in a coffin. As punishment for his continued defiance, Zeus also strikes Acrisius with lightning, transforming him into a monster. Io also reveals that she was cursed with immortality after refusing to give in to Poseidon's advances and has watched over Perseus his entire life, beginning with watching from ashore as his adoptive parents rescue him from the floating coffin, to the present, always protecting him, as he is prophesized to be the only one able to stand up to the Gods.
As the Cult of Hades, led by the insane Prokopion (Luke Treadaway
Luke Treadaway
Luke Antony N. Treadaway is an English actor, whose career includes roles in the films Brothers of the Head and Attack the Block.- Personal life :...
), grows in number and demands Andromeda's sacrifice, a desperate Kepheus asks Perseus to lead the King's Guard to visit the Stygian Witches in order to discover a way to kill the Kraken. Perseus — wishing to avenge the death of his family — accepts. Perseus and the guards head off on their quest joined by hunters, Ozal and Kucuk. Hades, in hopes of stopping Perseus, finds Acrisius, now known as Calibos, and grants him superhuman abilities in exchange for Calibos assuring Perseus will die before he reaches the Witches.
Zeus is convinced by Apollo (Luke Evans
Luke Evans (actor)
Luke Evans is a Welsh theatre and film actor. He is known to theatregoers for his stage roles in Rent, Miss Saigon Small Change and Piaf, and to filmgoers for his roles in The Three Musketeers, Clash of the Titans, and Tamara Drewe.-Early life:Luke Evans was born and raised in Aberbargoed, a small...
), who doesn't trust Hades, to give Perseus a chance and presents him with an enchanted sword forged on Mt. Olympus and a winged horse, Pegasus. Perseus refuses both gifts but a wise Draco puts the sword into safekeeping. Shortly thereafter, they are attacked by Calibos. Perseus barely manages to hold him at bay and is bitten by Calibos in a desperate move. Draco severs Calibos's hand causing Calibos to flee. The band gives chase only to be attacked by giant scorpions summoned by Calibos’s blood. Although they manage to kill some of them, they are ultimately surrounded by even larger scorpions until they are saved by the Djinn, a band of Arabic desert sorcerers led by Sheik Suleiman (Ian Whyte
Ian Whyte (actor)
Ian Whyte is a Welsh actor, stuntman and former professional basketball player.-Career:Born in Bangor, North Wales, he is known best for portraying almost all of the Predators in both Alien vs. Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. He stands at the height of .- Filmography :- External links :*...
). The Djinn, also wishing for the Gods' defeat, lends their aid to Perseus and his band.
The group arrives at the lair of the Stygian Witches and learns from them that the only possibility for killing the Kraken is with the head of a gorgon Medusa
Medusa
In Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
who is residing in a temple in the Underworld. Medusa is able to turn any living creature into stone by making eye contact, and thus capturing her head is essential for battling the Kraken. As they prepare to head into the Underworld, Perseus is approached by Zeus, who offers to make him a God, but when he refuses, gives him a golden drachma; a fare for Charon
Charon (mythology)
In Greek mythology, Charon or Kharon is the ferryman of Hades who carries souls of the newly deceased across the rivers Styx and Acheron that divided the world of the living from the world of the dead. A coin to pay Charon for passage, usually an obolus or danake, was sometimes placed in or on...
, the ferryman of the Underworld.
Perseus, Io, Sulieman, Draco and his remaining men Solon (Liam Cunningham), Eusebius (Nicholas Hoult
Nicholas Hoult
Nicholas Caradoc Hoult is an English actor, best known for playing Marcus Brewer in the 2002 film About a Boy, Tony Stonem in the E4, BAFTA-winning television series Skins, and Beast in the X-Men prequel, X-Men: First Class.-Early life:Hoult was born in Wokingham, Berkshire, the third of four...
) and Ixas (Hans Matheson
Hans Matheson
Hans Matheson is a British actor.-Life and career:Matheson was born in Stornoway, Scotland, the son of Sheena, a therapist, and Iain , a folk musician and painter. He made his feature film debut as Johnny Silver in Jez Butterworth's critically acclaimed directorial debut, Mojo...
) arrive at the Underworld and the men enter Medusa's lair while Io remains outside, unable to enter. Medusa easily kills Solon, Eusebius and Ixas and fatally wounds Draco. Sulieman and Draco sacrifice themselves to wound Medusa. The badly wounded Medusa is beheaded by Perseus, who takes her head. As he is leaving the temple, he witnesses Calibos creep up behind and murder Io. Perseus and Calibos engage in mortal combat with Calibos having the upper hand and disarming Perseus. Finally coming to terms with who he is, Perseus picks up the Olympian sword and pierces Calibos through the heart, turning him back into Acrisius in human form restoring him to sanity and humility for one last moment.
After saying his goodbyes to the dying Io, who urges him forward to save Andromeda and Argos before she dissolves into an ethereal vapor, Perseus mounts Pegasus and hastens back to Argos. In the meantime Zeus has ordered the Kraken's release. The Cult goes to the palace and seizes Andromeda in order to offer her to the Kraken. While Kraken ravages Argos, Hades reveals to Zeus that while the Gods have been surviving on the people’s adoration, he has been feeding on people's fear and his monster has been channeling even more fear. While the Gods have become weaker, Hades has now grown powerful enough to take on Mount Olympus and even destroy it in revenge for his betrayal so many years before. Realizing his mistake too late, Zeus can only rely on Perseus.
In Argos, Hades unleashes the Furies against Perseus and they manage to snag away from him the sack holding Medusa’s head. In an intense aerial chase with Perseus riding Pegasus, he manages to retrieve the bag, just in time for the Kraken to fully emerge. The Kraken causes massive damage to Argos before heading to devour Andromeda. Before the Kraken is able to eat Andromeda, Perseus races to open the bag, unveil the head of Medusa and face it to the Kraken, who makes eye contact, turning it into stone. The massive statue cracks and the falling debris kills Prokopion and Kepheus, while Andromeda falls into the sea. Hades appears to confront Perseus. Perseus in defiance raises his sword to the heavens and calling upon Zeus, throws his sword at Hades. A lightning bolt engulfs the sword and banishes Hades to the Underworld once more.
Perseus dives in to the sea and rescues Andromeda, now the Queen of Argos. She asks him to stay by her side as King, but he claims he is not a leader, but simply a man. Her people will respect her as their Queen. After flying away with Pegasus, Perseus arrives on the island where Zeus's statue was destroyed, and where his family was killed. Zeus meets with him, thanks Perseus for risking so much, and offers once more to make him a God and live with him on Mt. Olympus. Perseus declines, saying he has every thing he needs on earth in his mortal form. As Zeus leaves he says Perseus needs a companion, and his parting gift is to revive and present Io. Perseus and Io approach one another to embrace.
Alternative endings
The special feature of the Blu-ray has an alternate ending that was cut from the film. After defeating the Kraken and Hades, Andromeda falls into the sea and Perseus dives in to save her. When he reaches her, he embraces her with a passionate kiss, indicating that he fell in love with her, and she with him. After reaching the shore and regaining consciousness, Andromeda asks Perseus if he will stay and he says there is someone he needs to talk to, before kissing her again, indicating that he will come back. Getting on Pegasus, he flies to Mt. Olympus where he confronts Zeus, stating that he does not wish to be one of them and that any conflict between them has just started. After slamming his sword into the Gods' map and shattering the models of every living person, he leaves and is seen flying on Pegasus over the sea, presumably back to Argos.Other deleted scenes
The DVD features several deleted scenes, some of which differ from those in the theatrical release (for example, ApolloApollo
Apollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
, rather than Zeus, gives Perseus the coin to pay Charon, while also observing that Perseus' arrogance makes him "truly Zeus's son"); others were absent altogether, notably one which features an extended debate among all of the Gods of Olympus, most of whom had few or no lines in the film after this scene was cut, and another scene in which Apollo sits in Zeus' throne while Athena
Athena
In Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
warns him that Hades will destroy all of the other Gods.
Cast
- Sam WorthingtonSam WorthingtonSamuel Henry J. "Sam" Worthington is an English born, Australian actor. After almost a decade of roles in Australian TV shows and films, Worthington gained Hollywood's attention by playing Marcus Wright in Terminator Salvation and the lead role, Jake Sully, in James Cameron's science...
as PerseusPerseusPerseus ,Perseos and Perseas are not used in English. the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty of Danaans there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths of the Twelve Olympians...
, the DemigodDemigodThe term "demigod" , meaning "half-god", is commonly used to describe mythological figures whose one parent was a god and whose other parent was human; as such, demigods are human-god hybrids...
son of Zeus - Gemma ArtertonGemma ArtertonGemma Arterton is an English actress. She played the eponymous protagonist in the BBC adaptation of Thomas Hardy's Tess of the D'Urbervilles, and starred in the feature films St Trinian's, the James Bond film Quantum of Solace, Clash of the Titans, Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time and Tamara...
as IoIo (mythology)Io was, in Greek mythology, a priestess of Hera in Argos, a nymph who was seduced by Zeus, who changed her into a heifer to escape detection. His wife Hera set ever-watchful Argus Panoptes to guard her, but Hermes was sent to distract the guardian and slay him...
, a woman cursed with agelessness after refusing the advances of a God. She guides Perseus in his quest and narrates the TitanomachyTitanomachyIn Greek mythology, the Titanomachy or War of the Titans , was the ten-year series of battles fought in Thessaly between the two camps of deities long before the existence of mankind: the Titans, based on Mount Othrys, and the Olympians, who would come to reign on Mount Olympus...
at the start of the film - Mads MikkelsenMads Mikkelsen' is a Danish actor.-Life and career:Mikkelsen was born in the Østerbro area of Copenhagen, the son of Bente Christiansen and Henning Mikkelsen, a cab driver. He is the brother of actor Lars Mikkelsen. After attending Århus Theatre School, he made his film debut in the movie Pusher...
as DracoDracoDraco was the first legislator of Athens in Ancient Greece. He replaced the prevailing system of oral law and blood feud by a written code to be enforced only by a court...
, leader of the Praetorian GuardPraetorian GuardThe Praetorian Guard was a force of bodyguards used by Roman Emperors. The title was already used during the Roman Republic for the guards of Roman generals, at least since the rise to prominence of the Scipio family around 275 BC... - Alexa DavalosAlexa DavalosAlexa Davalos is an American actress. She has appeared in several Hollywood films, including Feast of Love, The Chronicles of Riddick, The Mist, Defiance, and Clash of the Titans.-Early life:...
as AndromedaAndromeda (mythology)Andromeda is a princess from Greek mythology who, as divine punishment for her mother's bragging, the Boast of Cassiopeia, was chained to a rock as a sacrifice to a sea monster. She was saved from death by Perseus, her future husband. Her name is the Latinized form of the Greek Ἀνδρομέδη...
, princess of Argos, daughter of Kepheus and Cassiopeia and the Princess that will be sacrificed to the Kraken - Jason FlemyngJason FlemyngJason Iain Flemyng is an English actor. He is known for his film work, which has included roles in British films such as Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch , both for Guy Ritchie, as well as Hollywood productions such as Rob Roy along with the Alan Moore comic book adaptations From...
as AcrisiusAcrisiusAcrisius was a mythical king of Argos, and a son of Abas and Aglaea , grandson of Lynceus, great-grandson of Danaus. His twin brother was Proetus, with whom he is said to have quarreled even in the womb of his mother...
/Calibos, a king of Argos transformed into a hideous beast - Tine Stapelfeldt as DanaëDanaëIn Greek mythology, Danaë was a daughter of King Acrisius of Argos and Eurydice of Argos. She was the mother of Perseus by Zeus. She was sometimes credited with founding the city of Ardea in Latium....
, wife of King Acrisius, mother of Perseus - Nicholas HoultNicholas HoultNicholas Caradoc Hoult is an English actor, best known for playing Marcus Brewer in the 2002 film About a Boy, Tony Stonem in the E4, BAFTA-winning television series Skins, and Beast in the X-Men prequel, X-Men: First Class.-Early life:Hoult was born in Wokingham, Berkshire, the third of four...
as Eusebius, member of the Praetorian Guard - Hans MathesonHans MathesonHans Matheson is a British actor.-Life and career:Matheson was born in Stornoway, Scotland, the son of Sheena, a therapist, and Iain , a folk musician and painter. He made his feature film debut as Johnny Silver in Jez Butterworth's critically acclaimed directorial debut, Mojo...
as Ixas, member of the Praetorian Guard - Liam Cunningham as Solon, member of the Praetorian Guard
- Liam NeesonLiam NeesonLiam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
as ZeusZeusIn the ancient Greek religion, Zeus was the "Father of Gods and men" who ruled the Olympians of Mount Olympus as a father ruled the family. He was the god of sky and thunder in Greek mythology. His Roman counterpart is Jupiter and his Etruscan counterpart is Tinia.Zeus was the child of Cronus...
, the leader of the gods of Mount OlympusMount OlympusMount Olympus is the highest mountain in Greece, located on the border between Thessaly and Macedonia, about 100 kilometres away from Thessaloniki, Greece's second largest city. Mount Olympus has 52 peaks. The highest peak Mytikas, meaning "nose", rises to 2,917 metres...
and father of Perseus - Ralph FiennesRalph FiennesRalph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
as HadesHadesHades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
, god of the UnderworldUnderworldThe Underworld is a region which is thought to be under the surface of the earth in some religions and in mythologies. It could be a place where the souls of the recently departed go, and in some traditions it is identified with Hell or the realm of death... - Jamie SivesJamie Sives-Filmography:-External links:...
as a Commander. - Ian WhyteIan Whyte (actor)Ian Whyte is a Welsh actor, stuntman and former professional basketball player.-Career:Born in Bangor, North Wales, he is known best for portraying almost all of the Predators in both Alien vs. Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. He stands at the height of .- Filmography :- External links :*...
as Sheikh Sulieman, the Djinn who assisted Perseus and the praetorian guards of Argos - Pete PostlethwaitePete PostlethwaitePeter William "Pete" Postlethwaite, OBE, was an English stage, film and television actor.After minor television appearances including in The Professionals, Postlethwaite's first success came with the film Distant Voices, Still Lives in 1988. He played a mysterious lawyer, Mr...
as Spyros, Foster Father of Perseus - Elizabeth McGovernElizabeth McGovern-Early life:McGovern was born in Evanston, Illinois, the daughter of Katharine Wolcott , a high school teacher, and William Montgomery McGovern, Jr., a university professor. Her paternal grandfather was adventurer William Montgomery McGovern and her maternal great-grandfather was U.S. diplomat...
as Marmara, Foster Mother of Perseus - Polly WalkerPolly WalkerPolly Walker is an English actress.- Early life :Walker was born in Warrington, Cheshire, England. Her first school was Silverdale Preparatory West Acton, London. At 16, Walker graduated from Ballet Rambert School in Twickenham, began her career as a dancer, but had to abandon dancing after a leg...
as CassiopeiaCassiopeia (mythology)Cassiopeia is the name of several figures in Greek mythology.-Wife of Cepheus:The Queen Cassiopeia, wife of king Cepheus of Æthiopia, was beautiful but also arrogant and vain; these latter two characteristics led to her downfall....
, Queen of Argos, wife of Kepheus and mother of Andromeda - Vincent ReganVincent Regan-Career:Regan was born in Swansea on 16 May 1965, the son of Irish immigrants. As a youth he moved to Ireland with his parents, but returned to Britain and attended St Joseph's College, Ipswich in Suffolk....
as KepheusCepheus, King of AethiopiaIn Greek mythology, Cepheus is the name of two rulers of Ethiopia, grandfather and grandson.Cepheus son of Belus was the son of Belus and Achiroe, making him the brother of Danaus, King of Libya, and Aegyptus, King of Egypt. He had a wife named Iope and a son who he named Agenor after his paternal...
, King of Argos, husband of Cassiopeia and father of Andromeda - David KennedyDavid Kennedy (actor)-Career:Kennedy appeared in many television dramas in the UK since 1983. He has appeared in Ashes to Ashes, Trial & Retribution, Ultimate Force, The Bill, London's Burning, Rose and Maloney, Waking the Dead, Reign of Fire and Holby City...
as Kepheus's General - Kaya ScodelarioKaya ScodelarioKaya Rose Scodelario is a British actress and model. She is best known for her role as Effy Stonem in the E4 drama Skins.-Skins :...
as Peshet, Andromeda's handmaiden - Luke TreadawayLuke TreadawayLuke Antony N. Treadaway is an English actor, whose career includes roles in the films Brothers of the Head and Attack the Block.- Personal life :...
as Prokopion, the cult leader who leads the people of Argos to sacrifice Andromeda - Danny HustonDanny Huston-Early life:Huston was born in Rome, Italy. He hails from the illustrious Huston acting and filmmaking dynasty. He is the son of legendary director John Huston, half-brother of actress Anjelica Huston and screenwriter Tony Huston, uncle of actor Jack Huston, stepbrother of Allegra Huston, and...
as PoseidonPoseidonPoseidon was the god of the sea, and, as "Earth-Shaker," of the earthquakes in Greek mythology. The name of the sea-god Nethuns in Etruscan was adopted in Latin for Neptune in Roman mythology: both were sea gods analogous to Poseidon...
, god of the sea - Izabella MikoIzabella MikoIzabella Anna Mikołajczak , better known as Izabella Miko, is a Polish-born actress, dancer, and environmentalist.-Life and career:...
as AthenaAthenaIn Greek mythology, Athena, Athenê, or Athene , also referred to as Pallas Athena/Athene , is the goddess of wisdom, courage, inspiration, civilization, warfare, strength, strategy, the arts, crafts, justice, and skill. Minerva, Athena's Roman incarnation, embodies similar attributes. Athena is...
, goddess of warfare, battle strategies, wisdom and justice - Tamer HassanTamer HassanTamer Hassan is a British actor of Turkish Cypriot descent.-Early life:Hassan was born in London, England into a Turkish Cypriot family. Having sustained an injury in boxing, Hassan started to run nightclubs and restaurants and is now the owner, chairman and player/coach of Greenwich Borough and...
as AresAresAres is the Greek god of war. He is one of the Twelve Olympians, and the son of Zeus and Hera. In Greek literature, he often represents the physical or violent aspect of war, in contrast to the armored Athena, whose functions as a goddess of intelligence include military strategy and...
, god of war and bloodshed - Luke EvansLuke Evans (actor)Luke Evans is a Welsh theatre and film actor. He is known to theatregoers for his stage roles in Rent, Miss Saigon Small Change and Piaf, and to filmgoers for his roles in The Three Musketeers, Clash of the Titans, and Tamara Drewe.-Early life:Luke Evans was born and raised in Aberbargoed, a small...
as ApolloApolloApollo is one of the most important and complex of the Olympian deities in Greek and Roman mythology...
, god of the sun, music, poetry, art, healing, archery and medicine. - Nathalie CoxNathalie CoxNathalie Cox is a British actress and model. She is also known as Natalie Cox. She is best known for her role as Juno Eclipse in the video game Star Wars: The Force Unleashed and its sequel.-Career:...
as ArtemisArtemisArtemis was one of the most widely venerated of the Ancient Greek deities. Her Roman equivalent is Diana. Some scholars believe that the name and indeed the goddess herself was originally pre-Greek. Homer refers to her as Artemis Agrotera, Potnia Theron: "Artemis of the wildland, Mistress of Animals"...
, goddess of forests, hills, hunting and animals - Nina YoungNina Young-Family:She is the daughter of Perth businessman Peter Young and Tania Verstak, a woman of Russian origin who was Miss Australia 1961 and Miss International 1962.-Career:Her acting career has spanned sixteen years so far, from 1994 to present...
as HeraHeraHera was the wife and one of three sisters of Zeus in the Olympian pantheon of Greek mythology and religion. Her chief function was as the goddess of women and marriage. Her counterpart in the religion of ancient Rome was Juno. The cow and the peacock were sacred to her...
, goddess of women and marriage and wife of Zeus - Agyness DeynAgyness DeynAgyness Deyn is an English fashion model, actress and singer.-Early life:Deyn is from Failsworth in the Metropolitan Borough of Oldham, Greater Manchester...
as AphroditeAphroditeAphrodite is the Greek goddess of love, beauty, pleasure, and procreation.Her Roman equivalent is the goddess .Historically, her cult in Greece was imported from, or influenced by, the cult of Astarte in Phoenicia....
, goddess of love and beauty - Paul Kynman as HephaestusHephaestusHephaestus was a Greek god whose Roman equivalent was Vulcan. He is the son of Zeus and Hera, the King and Queen of the Gods - or else, according to some accounts, of Hera alone. He was the god of technology, blacksmiths, craftsmen, artisans, sculptors, metals, metallurgy, fire and volcanoes...
, god of blacksmiths, fire and volcanoes - Alexander SiddigAlexander SiddigSiddig El Tahir El Fadil El Siddig Abderrahman Mohammed Ahmed Abdel Karim El Mahdi is a Sudanese-born English actor, also known as Siddig El Fadil and his stage name Alexander Siddig. He is known for playing Dr...
as HermesHermesHermes is the great messenger of the gods in Greek mythology and a guide to the Underworld. Hermes was born on Mount Kyllini in Arcadia. An Olympian god, he is also the patron of boundaries and of the travelers who cross them, of shepherds and cowherds, of the cunning of thieves, of orators and...
, Messenger of the Gods - Charlotte Comer as DemeterDemeterIn Greek mythology, Demeter is the goddess of the harvest, who presided over grains, the fertility of the earth, and the seasons . Her common surnames are Sito as the giver of food or corn/grain and Thesmophoros as a mark of the civilized existence of agricultural society...
, goddess of the earth and agriculture - Jane MarchJane MarchJane March is an English film actress and former print model.-Life and career:March was born Jane March Horwood in Edgware, London, England. Her father, Bernard Horwood, is a secondary school teacher of English and Spanish ancestry. Her mother, Jean, is Vietnamese and Chinese...
as HestiaHestiaIn Greek mythology Hestia , first daughter of Cronus and Rhea , is the virgin goddess of the hearth, architecture, and of the right ordering of domesticity and the family. She received the first offering at every sacrifice in the household. In the public domain, the hearth of the prytaneum...
, goddess of the hearth - Natalia VodianovaNatalia VodianovaNatalia Mikhailovna Vodianova is a Russian model and philanthropist who now permanently resides in the United Kingdom.-Early life:Born in Gorky, Soviet Union , Natalia Vodianova grew up in a poor district of the city with her mother and two half sisters, one of whom has cerebral palsy...
as MedusaMedusaIn Greek mythology Medusa , " guardian, protectress") was a Gorgon, a chthonic monster, and a daughter of Phorcys and Ceto. The author Hyginus, interposes a generation and gives Medusa another chthonic pair as parents. Gazing directly upon her would turn onlookers to stone...
, the Half-Demon mortal GorgonGorgonIn Greek mythology, the Gorgon was a terrifying female creature. The name derives from the Greek word gorgós, which means "dreadful." While descriptions of Gorgons vary across Greek literature, the term commonly refers to any of three sisters who had hair of living, venomous snakes, and a... - Mouloud Achour as Kucuk
- Ross Mullan as Pemphredo
- Ashraf BarhomAshraf BarhomAshraf Barhom is a Palestinian actor from Tarshiha, which is in Galilee. He has starred in Paradise Now and The Syrian Bride. In 2007, he gained critical recognition for appearing alongside Jamie Foxx in the movie The Kingdom as Col. Faris Al-Ghazi. He has since appeared in Israeli films such as...
as Ozal
Production
The Clash of the TitansClash of the Titans (1981 film)
Clash of the Titans is an American 1981 fantasy–adventure film involving the Greek hero Perseus. It was released on June 12, 1981 and earned a gross profit of $41 million domestically, on a $15 million budget , by which it was the 11th highest grossing film of the year. A novelization of the film...
remake project started in 2002 under producer Adam Schroeder
Adam Schroeder
-Selected works:* Rules of Engagement* Sleepy Hollow* The Truman Show* A Simple Plan* The Tuxedo* Wonder Boys* Zoolander* The First Wives Club* Clueless* Ransom* Mother* Marvin's Room* In & Out...
and writers John Glenn
John Glenn
John Herschel Glenn, Jr. is a former United States Marine Corps pilot, astronaut, and United States senator who was the first American to orbit the Earth and the third American in space. Glenn was a Marine Corps fighter pilot before joining NASA's Mercury program as a member of NASA's original...
and Travis Wright. They wanted to drop the "cheesy chessboard manipulation of characters" by the gods. In The Wright/Glenn version of Clash, various pantheons were mixed together. The Main Villain was the Sumerian
Sumerian religion
Sumerian religion refers to the mythology, pantheon, rites and cosmology of the Sumerian civilization. The Sumerian religion influenced Mesopotamian mythology as a whole, surviving in the mythologies and religions of the Hurrians, Akkadians, Babylonians, Assyrians, and other culture...
Sea Goddess
Water deity
A water deity is a deity in mythology associated with water or various bodies of water. Water deities are common in mythology and were usually more important among civilizations in which the sea or ocean, or a great river was more important...
of Death and Destruction, Tiamat
Tiamat
In Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is a chaos monster, a primordial goddess of the ocean, mating with Abzû to produce younger gods. It is suggested that there are two parts to the Tiamat mythos, the first in which Tiamat is 'creatrix', through a "Sacred marriage" between salt and fresh water,...
. Perseus
Perseus
Perseus ,Perseos and Perseas are not used in English. the legendary founder of Mycenae and of the Perseid dynasty of Danaans there, was the first of the mythic heroes of Greek mythology whose exploits in defeating various archaic monsters provided the founding myths of the Twelve Olympians...
was originally kidnapped by an avatar
Incarnation
Incarnation literally means embodied in flesh or taking on flesh. It refers to the conception and birth of a sentient creature who is the material manifestation of an entity, god or force whose original nature is immaterial....
of an unidentified Cthonian
Chthonic
Chthonic designates, or pertains to, deities or spirits of the underworld, especially in relation to Greek religion. The Greek word khthon is one of several for "earth"; it typically refers to the interior of the soil, rather than the living surface of the land or the land as territory...
Earth Goddess, who planned to have him married to Andromeda so as to develop better relations with humanity. The Earth Goddess and Perseus proceed to fall in love. Zeus prepared to engage in war with Tiamat; taking the aids of other gods (such as Thoth
Thoth
Thoth was considered one of the more important deities of the Egyptian pantheon. In art, he was often depicted as a man with the head of an ibis or a baboon, animals sacred to him. His feminine counterpart was Seshat...
, Marduk
Marduk
Marduk was the Babylonian name of a late-generation god from ancient Mesopotamia and patron deity of the city of Babylon, who, when Babylon became the political center of the Euphrates valley in the time of Hammurabi , started to...
, Yahweh
Yahweh (Canaanite deity)
The hypothesis of a Canaanite deity named Yahweh or Yahwi is accepted by some Ancient Near Eastern scholars, although no direct evidence from archeology has been found. The name Yahwi may possibly be found in some male Amorite names...
and Osiris
Osiris
Osiris is an Egyptian god, usually identified as the god of the afterlife, the underworld and the dead. He is classically depicted as a green-skinned man with a pharaoh's beard, partially mummy-wrapped at the legs, wearing a distinctive crown with two large ostrich feathers at either side, and...
). A High Priest named Fantasos starts a Cult of Tiamat that quickly conquers the city. Andromeda was originally a promiscuous spoiled Princess who possessed various male sex slaves. Though the mixing of Mythologies and the Perseus-Earth Goddess romance was abandoned, the concept of a Goddess enraged at arrogant humans and demanding a sacrifice and the Cult of the Evil God (Changed from Tiamat
Tiamat
In Babylonian mythology, Tiamat is a chaos monster, a primordial goddess of the ocean, mating with Abzû to produce younger gods. It is suggested that there are two parts to the Tiamat mythos, the first in which Tiamat is 'creatrix', through a "Sacred marriage" between salt and fresh water,...
to Hades
Hades
Hades , Hadēs, originally , Haidēs or , Aidēs , meaning "the unseen") was the ancient Greek god of the underworld. The genitive , Haidou, was an elision to denote locality: "[the house/dominion] of Hades". Eventually, the nominative came to designate the abode of the dead.In Greek mythology, Hades...
) was retained into the final production. Producer Basil Iwanyk revived the project in 2006 with a rewrite by Travis Beacham
Travis Beacham
Travis Beacham is an American screenwriter. He studied screenwriting at the North Carolina School of the Arts.-Movie career:Just prior to graduating from the School of the Arts in 2005, Beacham co-wrote the independent feature Dog Days of Summer directed by fellow alum Mark Freiburger.In late...
, a fan of the original, who intended the script to be "darker and more realistic". Lawrence Kasdan
Lawrence Kasdan
Lawrence Edward "Larry" Kasdan is an American film producer, director and screenwriter.-Life and career:Kasdan was born in Miami, Florida, the son of Sylvia Sarah , an employment counselor, and Clarence Norman Kasdan, who managed retail electronics stores.His Brother is the writer/producer Mark...
and director Stephen Norrington
Stephen Norrington
Stephen Norrington is a British film director whose credits include Death Machine and the comic book adaptations Blade and The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen.-Life and career:...
signed on in 2007. Kasdan gave the script another rewrite from the Beacham version. But Norrington was unsure about his direction for the project because he did not grow up with the original. Leterrier, who did, contacted Norrington through their shared agent about replacing him. By June 2008 Leterrier joined the project and Warner Bros. greenlit the film. Leterrier noted the original Clash of the Titans inspired the climax of his previous film The Incredible Hulk
The Incredible Hulk (film)
The Incredible Hulk is a 2008 superhero action film based on the Marvel Comics character the Hulk. It is directed by Louis Leterrier and stars Edward Norton as Dr. Bruce Banner. It is the second film to be released in the Marvel Cinematic Universe...
– a battle in a burnt-down courtroom with temple-like columns – and has compared modern superheroes to Greek mythology
Greek mythology
Greek mythology is the body of myths and legends belonging to the ancient Greeks, concerning their gods and heroes, the nature of the world, and the origins and significance of their own cult and ritual practices. They were a part of religion in ancient Greece...
.
Writers Phil Hay and Matt Manfredi took over the script during July 2008 and used Beacham's draft as a starting point. They focused on the mythology and telling the story through Leterrier's eyes. Hay and Manfredi had to rewrite the script in less than a year using a very active process. Leterrier sought Ray Harryhausen
Ray Harryhausen
Ray Harryhausen is an American film producer and special effects creator...
's involvement, and reunited with Hulk concept artist Aaron Sims, who had already been working on Clash of the Titans with Norrington.
Louis Leterrier, during an interview, revealed that he is a big Saint Seiya
Saint Seiya
, also known as Saint Seiya: Knights of the Zodiac or simply Knights of the Zodiac, is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Masami Kurumada and serialized in Weekly Shōnen Jump from 1986 to 1991, and adapted into an anime TV series by Toei Animation from 1986 to 1989.The story follows...
(also known as Knights of the Zodiac) fan. He specifically cited the armor that the Gods wear in his film remake as a sign of homage and respect to Saint Seiya. Masami Kurumada
Masami Kurumada
is a Japanese manga artist and writer, known for specializing in fighting manga featuring bishōnen and/or mahō shōnen. He is famous as the creator/author of popular manga, such as Ring ni Kakero, Fūma no Kojirō, Saint Seiya and B't X. His male protagonists are a reflection of the classical and...
(the author of Saint Seiya) was even asked to collaborate with the production team on poster designs.
Additionally, Hay wanted to pay homage to the original film and coaxed Bubo the tin owl to come out of retirement, reprising his role as himself.
Sam Worthington took the role of Perseus because he wanted to make a Clash of the Titans for his nine year old nephew's generation. During filming the cast had a few laughs about the costumes but he took it very seriously "so the audience doesn't have to." Worthington also did not wear sandals while filming, he instead painted toes on his sports shoes so he could perform the stunts better.
Conversion to 3D
Leterrier approached the studio early on about a 3D conversion but it was expensive and very new technology. After Avatar, the studio put pressure on Leterrier to convert the film. He was worried because of his previous concerns but was convinced after seeing the View-D conversion process. Leterrier considered the 3D conversion to improve the viewing experience, and states that it should not be seen as a gimmick.Filming locations
Filming began April 27, 2009, near London, at Shepperton StudiosShepperton Studios
Shepperton Studios is a film studio in Shepperton, Surrey, England with a history dating back to 1931 since when many notable films have been made there...
, and also at Pinewood Studios and at Longcross Studios, near Chertsey, in Surrey. Filming also took place in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
(Spain) (primarily at the World Heritage Site
World Heritage Site
A UNESCO World Heritage Site is a place that is listed by the UNESCO as of special cultural or physical significance...
, Teide National Park
Teide National Park
Teide National Park is a national park located in Tenerife . It is centered around 3718m Mount Teide, the highest mountain of Spain and the islands of the Atlantic...
in Tenerife
Tenerife
Tenerife is the largest and most populous island of the seven Canary Islands, it is also the most populated island of Spain, with a land area of 2,034.38 km² and 906,854 inhabitants, 43% of the total population of the Canary Islands. About five million tourists visit Tenerife each year, the...
), Maspalomas
Maspalomas
MaspalomasCountry:Autonomous Community:Province: Las PalmasIsland: Gran CanariaMunicipality: San Bartolomé de TirajanaPopulation:33,000 Coordinates:Time zone:CET, UTC+1Elevation:5 amslPostal code:35290Map...
Dunes, Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria
Gran Canaria is the second most populous island of the Canary Islands, with a population of 838,397 which constitutes approximately 40% of the population of the archipelago...
, and Timanfaya National Park
Timanfaya National Park
Timanfaya National Park or Parque Nacional de Timanfaya is a Spanish national park covering the municipalities of southern portion of Tinajo and the northern portion of Yaiza in the southwestern part of the island of Lanzarote. The area is...
in Lanzarote
Lanzarote
Lanzarote , a Spanish island, is the easternmost of the autonomous Canary Islands, in the Atlantic Ocean, approximately 125 km off the coast of Africa and 1,000 km from the Iberian Peninsula. Covering 845.9 km2, it stands as the fourth largest of the islands...
. Aerial photography was conducted in Iceland
Iceland
Iceland , described as the Republic of Iceland, is a Nordic and European island country in the North Atlantic Ocean, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. Iceland also refers to the main island of the country, which contains almost all the population and almost all the land area. The country has a population...
and Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
.
Filming of volcano scenes at the Harriet hole in Dinorwic Slate Quarry
Dinorwic Quarry
The Dinorwic Slate Quarry is a large former slate quarry, now home to the Welsh National Slate Museum, located between the villages of Llanberis and Dinorwig in north Wales. It was the second largest slate quarry in Wales, indeed in the world, after the neighbouring Penrhyn Quarry....
in Wales
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
wrapped at the end of July. This slate quarry has also been used for locations for Willow
Willow (film)
Willow is a 1988 American fantasy film directed by Ron Howard and produced/co-written by George Lucas. Warwick Davis stars in the film, as well as Val Kilmer, Joanne Whalley, Jean Marsh, and Patricia Hayes...
and Street Fighter
Street Fighter (film)
Street Fighter is a 1994 American action film written and directed by Steven E. de Souza. It is based loosely on the same-titled video games produced by Capcom, and stars Jean-Claude Van Damme, and Raul Julia, along with supporting performances by Byron Mann, Damian Chapa, Kylie Minogue, Ming-Na...
.
Release
Clash of the Titans was originally set for standard release on March 26, 2010. The Heat Vision Blog reported on January 27, 2010 that after a 3D conversion test of the film which Warner Bros. found to be a "roaring success", the film would be converted to 3D and would premiere on April 2, 2010. The national premiere in Spain took place on March 30 in Santa Cruz de TenerifeSanta Cruz de Tenerife
Santa Cruz de Tenerife is the capital , second-most populous city of the Autonomous Community of the Canary Islands and the 21st largest city in Spain, with a population of 222,417 in 2009...
, the capital city of the Canary Islands
Canary Islands
The Canary Islands , also known as the Canaries , is a Spanish archipelago located just off the northwest coast of mainland Africa, 100 km west of the border between Morocco and the Western Sahara. The Canaries are a Spanish autonomous community and an outermost region of the European Union...
.
Soundtrack
The score for this film was composed by Ramin DjawadiRamin Djawadi
Ramin Djawadi is a German composer of orchestral music for film and television. He was born in Duisburg, Germany to an Iranian father and German mother...
and released on March 30, 2010. Matthew Bellamy
Matthew Bellamy
Matthew James Bellamy is an English musician, singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, best known as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, pianist, and main songwriter of the alternative rock band Muse.-Early life:...
was originally hired to write the music, but abandoned the project midway through after his band Muse
Muse (band)
Muse are an English alternative rock band from Teignmouth, Devon, formed in 1994. The band consists of school friends Matthew Bellamy , Christopher Wolstenholme and Dominic Howard...
started a tour
The Resistance Tour
The Resistance Tour was a worldwide concert tour by English alternative rock band Muse in support of their fifth studio album The Resistance. The opening European leg began on 22 October 2009 and ended on 4 December 2009, comprising 30 shows. The second leg, which began on 7 January 2010, included...
.
Critical reception
Clash of the Titans got mostly mixed to poor reviews from critics. Review aggregate website Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reports that 29% of critics have given the film a positive review, based on 225 reviews with an average rating of 4.3/10. The site's consensus stated "An obviously affectionate remake of the 1981 original, Louis Leterrier's Clash of the Titans doesn't offer enough visual thrills to offset the deficiencies of its script." On Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, the film was assigned a weighted average score of 39 out of 100, based on 37 reviews from mainstream critics.
In his review for the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
, Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
gave the film 3 stars out of 4, stating "I don't say it's good cinema, although I recognize the craftsmanship that went into it. I don't say it's good acting, when the men have so much facial hair they all look like Liam Neeson
Liam Neeson
Liam John Neeson, OBE is an Irish actor who has been nominated for an Oscar, a BAFTA and three Golden Globe Awards.He has starred in a number of notable roles including Oskar Schindler in Schindler's List, Michael Collins in Michael Collins, Peyton Westlake in Darkman, Jean Valjean in Les...
. I like the energy, the imagination, the silliness". Richard Corliss of Time understands that many critics did not like it, but found the film "a full-throttle action-adventure, played unapologetically straight." He dismissed other critics' complaints, writing that the film is "very watchable in 2-D", that other critics were biased by nostalgia
Nostalgia
The term nostalgia describes a yearning for the past, often in idealized form.The word is a learned formation of a Greek compound, consisting of , meaning "returning home", a Homeric word, and , meaning "pain, ache"...
for the original, and that 15 seconds of Bubo is enough for his tastes. Colin Covert stated the film was "all flash, trash, and crash; a tasty hunk of baloney; mindless yet shamelessly thrilling." He considered Worthington to have a "Shatneresque heaviness about him", and found that all the laughs came from the fact that the heavyweight actors were "slumming through their roles." James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli
James Berardinelli is an American online film critic.-Personal life:Berardinelli was born in New Brunswick, New Jersey and spent his early childhood in Morristown, New Jersey. At the age of nine years, he relocated to the township of Cherry Hill, New Jersey...
gave it a mixed review, concluding that Clash of the Titans is a flawed but mildly entertaining regurgitation of Greek mythological elements, but it's also an example of how poorly-executed 3D can hamstring a would-be spectacle.
Peter Travers
Peter Travers
Peter Travers is an American film critic, who has written for, in turn, People and Rolling Stone. Travers also hosts a celebrity interview show called Popcorn on ABC News Now and ABCNews.com.-Career:...
of Rolling Stone awarded the film 1 star out of four, criticizing it ", with good actors going for the paycheck and using beards and heavy makeup to hide their shame." In a review for the Chicago Tribune
Chicago Tribune
The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois, and the flagship publication of the Tribune Company. Formerly self-styled as the "World's Greatest Newspaper" , it remains the most read daily newspaper of the Chicago metropolitan area and the Great Lakes region and is...
, Turan complained that the film is worse in 3D; he went on further to explain that the action scenes are "more of a distraction than an enhancement", with the battle scenes being cluttered and "harder to follow rather than exciting." Claudia Puig for USA Today wrote that the film's "most outstanding achievement is the ability to be both chaotic and dull." Justification for her opinion came from the frantic action sequences and muddled special effects. Dan Kois blamed the director for making a "muddled disappointment" instead of a "camp classic that could have endured for generations." Kois also accused Leterrier of not knowing how to direct an action scene, and that the film is lacking in "wit and flair". David Stratton also criticized the film's action scenes, suggesting to Leterrier: "check out your local video store for something by Kurosawa, or almost any movie with sword fight scenes, to see how it's done." AskMen.com felt actor Sam Worthington's heavy Australian drawl was so distracting it "manages not only to single-handedly unhinge any suspension of disbelief we might have had, but his fellow actors often seem to be visibly struggling as they impart fantastical ancient truths to a true-blue brickie in a studded leather dress."
Box office
Clash of the Titans earned $61,235,105 in its opening weekend in 3,777 theaters in the United States and Canada (not including Thursday previews). The movie was #1 for two weeks in a row, edging out Date NightDate Night
Date Night is a 2010 action comedy film directed by Shawn Levy and starring Steve Carell and Tina Fey. It was released in the United States on April 9, 2010...
and the previous winner How to Train Your Dragon
How to Train Your Dragon (film)
How to Train Your Dragon is a 2010 3D computer-animated action fantasy film by DreamWorks Animation loosely based on the 2003 book of the same name. The film stars the voices of Jay Baruchel, Gerard Butler, Craig Ferguson, America Ferrera, Jonah Hill, T.J. Miller, Kristen Wiig, and Christopher...
. Clash of the Titans made $163,214,888 domestically, as of July 22, 2010, and $330,000,000 overseas, as of September 19, 2010, for a worldwide total of $493,214,888. On the all-time worldwide chart it ranks 80th and in North America it is below #100.
Home video
Clash of the Titans was released on DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
and Blu-ray combo pack on July 16 (Mexico), July 26 (UK), July 27 (USA) and (Canada), October 6 (Japan) 2010. A Blu-ray 3D version of the film was also released and also comes packed with the 2D version, the DVD version and a Digital Copy.
Video game
Warner Bros. Interactive released a video game adaptation of the movie on July 27, 2010 on PlayStation 3PlayStation 3
The is the third home video game console produced by Sony Computer Entertainment and the successor to the PlayStation 2 as part of the PlayStation series. The PlayStation 3 competes with Microsoft's Xbox 360 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
and Xbox 360
Xbox 360
The Xbox 360 is the second video game console produced by Microsoft and the successor to the Xbox. The Xbox 360 competes with Sony's PlayStation 3 and Nintendo's Wii as part of the seventh generation of video game consoles...
with the film's home video release. It was originally planned to come out in March 2010, though the game was delayed due to difficulties. The game follows Perseus on his quest to fight Hades and his minions.
Sequel
Production of a sequel titled, Wrath of the Titans, directed by Jonathan LiebesmanJonathan Liebesman
Jonathan Liebesman is a South African film director.-Personal life:Liebesman was born in Johannesburg, South Africa...
began on March 23, 2011 with Sam Worthington, Ralph Fiennes and Liam Neeson returning to star and is scheduled to be released on March 30, 2012.