Best Costume Design (Bob Ringwood) · Nominated
Troy
Wolfgang Petersen's sweeping 2004 Trojan War epic — Homer's Iliad reimagined as a mortal blockbuster, with Brad Pitt's Achilles at its center and a $497M worldwide haul.
Overview
Editorial Review
By FindEdition Cinema Desk
7.5 /10
Epic spectacle
Performances
Pros
- Massive practical-scale battle sequences
- Brad Pitt and Eric Bana's iconic duel
- Peter O'Toole's powerful supporting turn
- Superior extended Director's Cut available
Cons
- Removes the gods and much of the Iliad's structure
- Long runtime with uneven middle stretch
- Mixed critical reception on release
Verdict A grand, old-fashioned war epic elevated by Brad Pitt's magnetic Achilles, Eric Bana's noble Hector, and one of the decade's best one-on-one duels — flawed as adaptation, thrilling as spectacle.
AI Review
Wolfgang Petersen's sweeping 2004 Trojan War epic — Homer's Iliad reimagined as a mortal blockbuster, with Brad Pitt's Achilles at its center and a $497M worldwide haul.
A grand, old-fashioned war epic elevated by Brad Pitt's magnetic Achilles, Eric Bana's noble Hector, and one of the decade's best one-on-one duels — flawed as adaptation, thrilling as spectacle.
Watch the 196-minute Director's Cut if possible — it is widely considered the definitive version of the film.
Awards
Choice Movie — Action/Adventure · Nominated
Best Fight (Brad Pitt vs. Eric Bana) · Nominated
Timeline
Warner Bros. set up David Benioff's Iliad-inspired script in 2002 with Wolfgang Petersen attached to direct and Plan B Entertainment producing.
Shot in 2003 at Shepperton Studios (UK), Malta for the city of Troy, and Baja California, Mexico for the beach battles, with thousands of extras and massive practical sets.
Gabriel Yared's completed score was replaced by a new James Horner score weeks before release; the film premiered in May 2004 and screened at Cannes out of competition.
Best Costume Design (Bob Ringwood) Nominated
Choice Movie — Action/Adventure Nominated
Best Fight (Brad Pitt vs. Eric Bana) Nominated
Production
Warner Bros. set up David Benioff's Iliad-inspired script in 2002 with Wolfgang Petersen attached to direct and Plan B Entertainment producing.
Shot in 2003 at Shepperton Studios (UK), Malta for the city of Troy, and Baja California, Mexico for the beach battles, with thousands of extras and massive practical sets.
Gabriel Yared's completed score was replaced by a new James Horner score weeks before release; the film premiered in May 2004 and screened at Cannes out of competition.
Streaming
Cast
Characters
Crew
Gallery
Videos
Official Trailer
Soundtrack
- 3200 Years Ago — James Horner
- Achilles Leads the Myrmidons — James Horner
- Hector's Death — James Horner
- The Trojans Attack — James Horner
- Remember (from Troy) — Josh Groban feat. Tanja Tzarovska
Trivia
- Screenwriter David Benioff, who adapted Homer's Iliad, later co-created HBO's Game of Thrones.
- Brad Pitt trained for months and reportedly tore his Achilles tendon during production — while playing Achilles.
- Gabriel Yared's original score was rejected late in post-production; James Horner composed the replacement score in about four weeks.
- Production moved from Morocco to Mexico due to regional security concerns; the beach battle was shot in Baja California.
- A 196-minute Director's Cut with substantially extended battle scenes was released in 2007.
- Christopher Nolan, who directed 2026's The Odyssey, was at one point considered in connection with directing Troy.
Quotes
"Immortality! Take it! It's yours!"
"I'll tell you a secret. Something they don't teach you in your temple. The gods envy us."
Goofs
- Llamas appear in ancient Troy, though they are native to South America and unknown to the Bronze Age Mediterranean.
- Coins are placed on the eyes of the dead, but coinage was not invented until centuries after the Trojan War era.
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