Best 10 Historical Movies Like Troy for History Lovers

A lot of movies are forgotten, but a few truly great ones live on in people’s hearts. Years pass, and a huge number of movies come out, but only a few can compare to the effect of these masterpieces. This is how I feel about modern standards movies like Troy, Gladiator, Kingdom of Heaven, and 300. Troy wasn’t really thought of as a great movie when it came out in 2005, but as the years have gone by, more and more people have come to see what a rare gem it is.

This action-packed, sandal-wearing movie came out after the hits of Ben-Hur and Gladiator. It had some beautiful scenes and an interesting plot, but it didn’t quite reach the same heights as those movies. Many reviewers said it wasn’t true to The Iliad, but the fight between Hector and Achilles is still one of the most epic battles ever shown on film.

The movies on this list all have big fights, historical settings, and heroes who are bigger than life, but they’re not all the same. In the world of great movies, movies like Troy, Ben-Hur, and Kingdom of Heaven. This is also important to note: Gladiator 2 says that the epic fights will return in 2025 with a second game. Here are 10 great movies like Troy that you can watch in the meantime.

10 Historical Movies Like Troy:

1. Kingdom of Heaven (2005):

“Kingdom of Heaven,” which came out in 2005 and was directed by Ridley Scott, is one of the best examples of a Hollywood historical drama in the last twenty years. In the late 1200s, the movie, which stars Orlando Bloom and came out just one year after “Troy,” makes up events that led up to the Third Crusade. The story is mostly about Balian of Ibelin (Bloom), a French warrior who gets caught up in the war between Christians and Muslims in the Kingdom of Jerusalem while still grieving over the death of his wife.

Ridley Scott doesn’t like the movie’s theatrical cut, but the director’s cut is almost unquestionably the most exciting blockbuster movie ever made. It’s not really in the program to be historically accurate or politically correct, but when Scott is at his most committed and skilled, he gives Balian’s story the same thrilling sweep and sense of scale as “Troy,” hitting big emotional notes with the same gusto. Plus, it’s another movie that shows Bloom at the height of his movie stardom.

2. 300 (2006):

Like Troy, 300 has characters that are bigger than life, big fights, and amazing visuals that keep the audience’s attention. This stylized action movie is loosely based on the Battle of Thermphylae. It shows how King Leonidas and a small group of Spartan soldiers fought bravely against the Persian Army. 300 combines action with a style that pays homage to the source material. Its slow motion and visuals were influenced by Frank Miller’s graphic book.

While history buffs may criticize the story for not being very accurate or in-depth about the Battle of Themopylae or Ancient Greece, the movie has stayed true to its original form 16 years after it came out: it is one of the most beautiful and action-packed epics ever made. The point is to be entertaining, and it does that.

3. The Northman (2022):

Since “The Northman” came out in 2022, it is the only Robert Eggers movie that doesn’t really fit into the horror genre. However, it still has a lot of scary and exciting moments. Eggers’s first big hit, even though it didn’t do very well at the box office, shows how good he is at capturing small details about a time period. It was also his biggest project up to that point. “The Northman” is based on the Scandinavian story that inspired William Shakespeare’s “Hamlet,” which is why it has the same plot as “The Lion King.” It’s about a Viking prince named Amleth (Alexander Skarsgård) who vows to kill his uncle Fjölnir (Claes Bang) for killing his father, King Aurvandill (Ethan Hawke).

When you watch the movie, it’s easy to see why Shakespeare was interested in this story and even easier to see why Eggers was interested in it. It’s not often that even the most entertaining historical action movies feel so passionately made. “The Northman” is clearly a labor of love from a director who is overflowing with creative ideas and excitement about bringing a bygone era to life. There is no better movie than this one if you want something like “Troy” but more in the arthouse style.

4. Immortals (2011):

As King Hyperion (Mickey Rourke) and his cruel army march across Greece, they leave behind burned-out towns and the bodies of innocent people. Hyperion wants to find the long-lost Bow of Epirus. If he can get this powerful weapon, he can get rid of the gods on Mount Olympus and rule the world. He listens to what the sibylline oracle (Freida Pinto), who is played by Henry Cavill, says because she tells him that he is the key to stopping the evil king.

5. Spartacus (1960):

Before the 2010 Spartacus series, which told the story of a Thracian gladiator’s fight against the Roman Empire and blew people away, there was a 1960 movie also called Spartacus. A story that is impressive and well-made may not make it popular with younger viewers because the action and dialogue are so old-fashioned. Even though it’s a very long and old movie, it has a thrilling and complete plot, big fight scenes, and beautiful sets.

In his role as Spartacus, Kirk Douglas was great, and the rest of the group was also great, which keeps many people entertained. Spartacus can be watched on Prime Video and other streaming services by people who like old-school epic movies. Like Troy, it’s not Ben-Hur, but it’s still a good tale in its own right.

6. Baahubali 2015:

Years before “RRR” became a surprise hit in the West, Indian director S.S. Rajamouli showed off his skill for making stunning maximalist period action movies with “Baahubali: The Beginning,” which came out in 2015. At the time it was made, “Baahubali” was the most expensive Indian movie ever. It’s about Mahendra Baahubali, a.k.a. Sivudu (Prabhas), an adventurous young man from the Amburi tribe who lives in the mountains. He joins forces with the rebellious Avantika (Tamannaah Bhatia) to get rid of King Bhallaladeva of Mahishmati (Rana Daggubati).

Drawing from the Sanskrit epic “Mahābhārata” and other Indian epic works, the movie has a look and feel similar to “Troy” in terms of the variety of its production values and the smoothness and sharpness of its action scenes. There is, however, something very Rajamouli about the way “Baahubali” handles the historical epic genre. It has a level of excitement, creativity, and formal playfulness that feels truly inspiring. You won’t believe how quickly 160 minutes went by.

7. Alexander (2004):

Alexander is a historical epic movie directed by Oliver Stone that looks at the life and conquests of Alexander the Great, who was king of Macedonia and a military leader. A lot of big names are in the movie’s cast, like Angelina Jolie, Christopher Plummer, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Anthony Hopkins, and Colin Farrel. Even though it had a great cast, reviewers still didn’t like it because it was too long, slowed down, and didn’t follow history correctly.

According to The Guardian, Alexander got a lot of bad reviews and was controversial when it came out. But for some watchers, it’s an underrated gem that deserves better than the bad reviews it has gotten so far. These viewers like it because it tells a big story about an important historical person and is on a grand scale, just like Troy. Remember that the director’s cut is longer and might make the movie flow better than the original release, which many people might like more.

8. Ben-Hur (1959):

“Ben-Hur,” the huge William Wyler Technicolor epic from 1959 that made Charlton Heston a movie hero from a bankable star in the 1950s, still holds the record for most Academy Awards won by a single film. It has been tied twice, but never beaten. Wyler’s Judaea-set classic broke all movie budget records at the time. It’s based on the best-selling 1880 novel by Lew Wallace and follows the life of Heston’s character, Jewish prince Judah Ben-Hur, who is betrayed by his Roman friend Messala and is then captured and forced to work as a slave by the Romans.

“Ben-Hur” is a late example of what big-budget Old Hollywood production could do when it was at its most tasteful and lively. Its influence can still be felt in all American movies about heroes from old myths, with “Troy” being one of the best examples. But Wyler’s movie sparks interest in a lot of different things, not just history. If you watch it now, it’s still a thrilling film with some of the most amazing action scenes in any movie from any time. For example, there’s a famous chariot race scene that could be the most breathtaking set piece in Hollywood history.

9. Centurion (2010):

In ancient Scotland, the Ninth Legion frees Quintus Dias, a Roman soldier played by Michael Fassbender, from the Picts who had him captured. The troops are on the hunt for the Pict leader, and Quintus joins them. Soon after that, the Romans’ Pict guide betrays them, and all but a few of the men are killed. As the Romans who are still alive try desperately to get to safety, the native fighters kill them one by one.

10. Gladiator (2000):

“Kingdom of Heaven” isn’t the only Ridley Scott movie from the 2000s that fits right in with “Troy” as a big historical drama. Scott really broke through in the 21st century with another movie like this, and he won the Best Picture Oscar for it. Russell Crowe, who won an Oscar for “Gladiator,” plays Maximus Decimus Meridius, a made-up Roman general in 183 A.D. who is sold into slavery and becomes a gladiator during the rise to power of Marcus Aurelius’s (Richard Harris) cruel son Commodus.

As Maximus’ famous line in the movie goes, “Are you not entertained?” “Gladiator” is a great example of big action at its best, whether it’s the way the story is told, how the actors play their parts, or just how exciting the action is. It looks a lot like “Troy” (not exactly the same, but there is a lot of visual overlap between Ancient Rome and Ancient Greece), and it’s also a great movie that makes you feel a lot of the same things.

Conclusion:

If you movies like Troy’s big fights, legendary heroes, and dramatic historical settings, these ten movies will take you on even more unforgettable trips into the past. There are beautiful crusades in Kingdom of Heaven, bloody arenas in Gladiator, and mythical fights in 300 and Baahubali. All of these movies capture the grandeur and emotional depth that make historical epics so classic.

Historical movies like Troy are powerful cinematic experiences, whether you’re looking for high-octane action, deep emotional stories, or stunning visuals of ancient cultures. Get ready for war, put on your armor, and dive into these epic stories that keep history buffs all over the world fascinated.

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