Hercules movies have been hit or miss, ranging from the iconic Steve Reeves original to Kellan Lutz’s stinker. Behold, the hero’s screen history.
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Steve Reeves – 1958
The 1958 italian Hercules didn’t just set a new physique standard for sword-and-sandal action epics, it set one for physical culture as a whole and inspired an entire generation to pump iron.
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Reg Park – 1961-1965
A childhood inspiration for our executive editor arnold Schwarzenegger, two-time Mr. Universe Reg Park starred as Hercules in four Italian films. Park’s success led Arnold to try his hand at film.
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Arnold Schwarzenegger – 1969
Right at the start of his run of six straight Olympias, Arnold starred in the low-budget Hercules in New York, in which filmmakers billed him as Arnold Strong and even dubbed over his voice with an American actor. For comic value only.
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Lou Ferrigno – 1983
The year after the Hulk TV series was canceled, Ferrigno got his shot at playing Hercules. While Ferrigno may have been the most massively muscled cinematic Hercules, the film itself is fairly unwatchable.
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Kellan Lutz – 2014
Twilight series heartthrob Kellan Lutz got extremely cut to star in 2014’s The Legend of Hercules, but the film’s 3% rating on Rotten Tomatoes tells you everything else you need to know.
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Dwayne Johnson – 2014
Based on the graphic novel, Hercules: The Thracian Wars and starring Johnson, the new film shows Herc before he was a legend, grounding the character with humanity and purpose.
Hercules movies have been hit or miss, ranging from the iconic Steve Reeves original to Kellan Lutz’s stinker. Behold, the hero’s screen history.
Steve Reeves - 1958
The 1958 italian Hercules didn’t just set a new physique standard for sword-and-sandal action epics, it set one for physical culture as a whole and inspired an entire generation to pump iron.
Reg Park - 1961-1965
A childhood inspiration for our executive editor arnold Schwarzenegger, two-time Mr. Universe Reg Park starred as Hercules in four Italian films. Park’s success led Arnold to try his hand at film.
Arnold Schwarzenegger - 1969
Right at the start of his run of six straight Olympias, Arnold starred in the low-budget Hercules in New York, in which filmmakers billed him as Arnold Strong and even dubbed over his voice with an American actor. For comic value only.
Lou Ferrigno - 1983
The year after the Hulk TV series was canceled, Ferrigno got his shot at playing Hercules. While Ferrigno may have been the most massively muscled cinematic Hercules, the film itself is fairly unwatchable.
Kellan Lutz - 2014
Twilight series heartthrob Kellan Lutz got extremely cut to star in 2014’s The Legend of Hercules, but the film’s 3% rating on Rotten Tomatoes tells you everything else you need to know.
Dwayne Johnson - 2014
Based on the graphic novel, Hercules: The Thracian Wars and starring Johnson, the new film shows Herc before he was a legend, grounding the character with humanity and purpose.
