8 Best Movies and TV Series With Medusa & Why You Should Watch Them

Medusa, the most famous Gorgon in Greek mythology, is a figure that has fascinated humanity for centuries. The idea of a woman with live snakes instead of hair on her head, who turns whoever looks at her into stone, is just too interesting to ignore. Her features also make her one of the most interesting film characters, especially as a villain. Despite her popularity, Medusa doesn’t feature in as many movies and TV shows as other Greek mythological figures such as Hercules.

Her personality is rarely explored in the few movies and TV Shows where Medusa is featured. Many works of art only focus on her head, with whoever manages to cut it off becoming the hero. There are still enough movies and TV shows, including animations, for fans of history and Greek mythology to binge on, and these eight are a great way to start.

1. Clash Of The Titans: 2010

What it is about: Humans led by King Acrisius or Argos mount a siege against Mount Olympus as they rebel against the gods. To save his human wife and newborn demigod son, Perseus, Zeus throws them into the sea. The boy survives by being saved and raised by humans.

He is later tasked with saving humans from the wrath of Hades by defeating an indestructible monster called Kraken. The only way to defeat the monster is by pointing Medusa’s head at it, but to get the head, Perseus has to make a difficult trip to the underworld.

Why you should watch it: Clash of the Titans follows contemporary Greek mythology but has many interesting plot twists. The gods are humanized, making all the characters relatable and interesting. It was created as a remake of the 1981 MGM movie of the same name, and it has a detailed storyline and aesthetics that make it a real fantasy adventure masterpiece.

2. Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief: 2010

What it is about: 16-year-old Percy Jackson’s life takes a sudden turn when he learns that he is the demigod son of Poseidon. Zeus has accused him of stealing his lightning bolt. To prevent a war between the gods, Percy is forced to go on a hunt for pearls that will enable him to travel to the underworld and secure Zeus’s stolen lightning bolt. One of the pearls is on Medusa’s body, so he has to kill the snake-haired Gorgon to obtain the pearl.

Why you should watch it: While Medusa is not a major part of the plot, Percy Jackson And The Lightning Thief is an interesting adaptation of Greek Mythology into the modern era. The details from mythological sources are not ignored despite the moderation of the storyline. The franchise also retains a sense of humor that gives a welcome break from the intensity of the action scenes.

3. The Lego Batman Movie: 2017

What it is about: Batman provokes The Joker by telling him that he is not as dangerous as he thinks, leading Joker to form the ultimate plan for destroying Gotham. In his plan, he gets Batman to banish him to Superman’s Phantom Zone, where other superhero villains are imprisoned. Harley then steals the Phantom Zone Projector and frees Joker alongside other dangerous villains imprisoned in the Phantom Zone, some of whom are from parallel universes, including Greek mythology villains such as Medusa.

Why you should watch it: The Lego Batman Movie has all the thrill of a well-written animated comics film that combines different franchises for the ultimate experience. While it doesn’t primarily focus on Greek mythology, it brings together some of the greatest villains from mythology and comics to create the ultimate battle between Batman and The Joker.

4. Atlantis: 2013-2015

What it is about: Jason’s submarine is absorbed by a white light while under the sea to locate the wreckage of his father’s submarine. He wakes up in the lost city of Atlantis. In the new world, he is pulled into the city’s politics as he teams up with two hopeless friends, Pythagoras and Hercules, to defeat the city’s evil queen, Pasiphae. He also meets Medusa, the girl Hercules is hopelessly attempting to date, who is later cursed and confined to a cave, and her hair turns into live snakes.

Why you should watch it: Atlantis is by far the best TV show covering Greek Mythology if its ratings are anything to go by. The show doesn’t just focus on Medusa. It gives an alternative version to different tales in Greek Mythology. The show’s comedic approach to the stories makes it interesting, with interesting characters that make every story in Greek mythology feel a lot more real than it is told.

5. Hercules: 1998

What it is about: It is an animated series following the adventures of Hercules and his friend Icarus from their teenage. The series has different episodes of Hercules facing life as a young man while learning to fight. It is an adaptation of the 1997 movie Hercules, although it deviates from the movie to cover other aspects of Hercules, including his encounter with Medusa.

Why you should watch it: The animated series offers a different view of Hercules, showing him facing normal teenage problems. It brings out his human weaknesses that the movie doesn’t cover, which makes the character feel more like a human than a demigod. The campaigns of his teenage years also offer a lot of entertainment, although they don’t adhere strictly to their versions in the movie.

6. Medusa: 2020

What it is about: Carly Beacon is a sex worker and a recovering drug addict who gets bitten by a snake belonging to one of her clients. Carly’s entire body immediately transforms as she starts growing fangs and even spewing venom like a snake. While people don’t turn into stones just for looking at her like the Greek Gorgon, she kills anyone she bites or spews venom.

Why you should watch it: Medusa is a horror movie expressing a modernized version of what it would look like. While she has snakes instead of hair locks at some point, her appearance remains normal unless she is provoked. Carly becomes a nightmare of sorts, seemingly taking revenge on the sex work industry that has taken so much away from her. It is an interesting watch for horror movie fans who love a modern version of Medusa.

7. Mythic Warriors: Guardians Of The Legend: 1998-2000

What it is about: This children’s anthology series was first produced by Nelvana for CBS in 1998. Reruns of the show have since been made on different TV networks around the world since then. The series depicts different stages in the lives of Greek gods, with the fourth season, which focuses on Perseus, also featuring Medusa, who Jennifer Dale voices.

Why you should watch it: The series has animated versions of Greek gods whose characters are in line with mythological depictions. Athena, for example, starts off as a school-girl character before becoming a scheming demigod that causes division and quarrels among the other gods. Medusa doesn’t feature prominently, but she plays a big role in Perseus’s transformation in the fourth season.

8. Voyage Of The Unicorn: 2001

What it is about: The grieving family of Professor Aisling finds themselves in a magical ship known as The Unicorn, which takes them on a tour of mythological worlds depicted in their dead matriarch’s drawings. The ship takes them through different mythological worlds with fire-breathing dragons, hydras, and other scary mythological creatures. Greek mythology is one of those worlds, and Medusa is one of the monsters they encounter.

Why you should watch it: This is the story of a little girl’s grief being relieved as she tours the mythological world imagined and drawn by her mother before she dies. It is a huge deviation from the traditional approach, which always focuses on protagonists hunting Medusa and cutting off her head. The movie has a great balance between mythology and real life.