The much-loved quirky actor Jeff Goldblum will soon be playing the great Greek god Zeus in a new series on Netflix, KAOS. Said to play the part of an “all-powerful, cruel, occasionally benevolent” take on the mythical deity who dethroned Cronus and the Titans, he’ll soon find out that there’s a plot to take him down.
KAOS certainly looks to be a unique take on Zeus, particularly because it’s set in the modern day and filmed in Spain. Even so, Goldblum’s take will naturally be compared to Zeus’ depiction across entertainment, from his iconic look to Hollywood’s many run-outs of the god of gods.
Classic depictions of Zeus where actors aren’t required
Let’s face it, few have an image of Zeus in their head that reflects one of the many, many acted parts. This isn’t to say that there haven’t been some stellar performances as Zeus, it’s just that his classical depiction laid out on, for example, the Britannica Zeus page is much more powerful. Then, there’s the characterization.
Zeus let the revolt against the Titans, led the gods to another great victory against the Giants, crushed rebellions, and is the god of hospitality. At the same time, he’s an incredibly vengeful being who was notorious for transforming into anything from a shower of gold to cuckoo birds to trick women into his embrace.
So, he’s powerful, evil, but also heroic and welcoming – meaning there are many ways to take Zeus as a character. The most reflective of Zeus as a powerful being throwing his might about is in the Gates of Olympus online slot. In this high-volatility slot, it’s all about appeasing the ever-present Zeus and going to Mount Olympus to unleash his full power in the free spins mode. You want that power to be used in your favor to have a shot at the 5,000x top prize.
In the Greek trilogy that comprised the beginning of the God of War series, Zeus is the ultimate foe. Even while playing as Kratos, Zeus is the villain working against the chaos that the God of War brings to the order of the Greek pantheon, even though Zeus initially aids Kratos in ousting Ares. On the flip side, in Hades, you attempt to escape the Underworld, and Zeus is happy to grant you a gracious boon to assist.
Zeus in film has been a very mixed bag of late
Even though it has next to nothing to do with any Greek myths, one of the most memorable takes on Zeus came in the form of the voice acting by Rip Torn in the 1997 animated movie and spin-off series. Around that, in live-action, Russell Crowe, Luke Evans, and Sean Bean have greatly been let down by poor writing and weak overall films around them – even when playing the almighty Zeus.
Bucking that trend, however, would be Liam Neeson. Neither Clash of the Titans nor Wrath of the Titans did particularly well at the box office or with critics, but Neeson as Zeus was a bright spot. In fact, as has been relayed by this Movie Web report, the Northern Irish actor wants to reprise the role if the opportunity arises. Perhaps the best film with Zeus, even if the Zeus character was a bit lacking, is Jason and the Argonauts from 1963.
Jeff Goldblum will be bringing a very different Zeus to screen than anything we’re used to, but that might be a good thing, given where the bar’s at now. Still, by the looks of the trailer, the big bushy beard will be missed.