Set sail for 'The Odyssey' with these 3 (free!) epic movies to watch before Christopher Nolan's epic hits theaters this weekend

Christopher Nolan's almost surefire blockbuster "The Odyssey" is about to hit theaters this Thursday, and if you're looking for some movies with the same vibes to watch beforehand, you're in the right place.

Each of my top three picks are streaming for free on Pluto, Tubi, or one of the other best free streaming platforms, which I always love to find an excuse to give a shoutout because streaming's getting too expensive these days. Granted, the caveat with all these "free" movies is that you'll have to sit through a few commercial breaks. Which honestly, with the runtime some of these movies are clocking, is quickly becoming something I'd never thought I'd miss. Let's bring the theatrical intermission back.

So without further ado, let's set sails for some epic tales of history in these three free movies to watch before "The Odyssey."

'Beowulf' (2007)

Audiences were too harsh on this one. The early aughts CGI looks about as rough and tiptoeing the line toward the uncanny valley, but no more so than you'll find in "The Polar Express," I'd argue. Plus, 2007's "Beowulf" is such a product of its time, it's fun to revisit for that reason alone. Robert Zemeckis’ animated adaptation of the Old English epic was one of the earliest films to lean heavily on then-cutting-edge motion-capture CGI, which he saw as the future of filmmaking after finding success with Tom Hanks in "The Polar Express" (2004).

"Beowulf" fell short of such lofty aspirations, struggling to elevate this well-worn tale into a modern action epic, but it's still touted among the most underrated fantasy movies of the decade. Written by Neil Gaiman and Roger Avary, it stars Ray Winstone as the titular warrior who sets out on a dangerous mission to slay the monster Grendel (Crispin Glover). Its star-studded cast includes mo-cap versions of Anthony Hopkins, John Malkovich, Robin Wright, Alison Lohman, and, bizarrely, Angelina Jolie as a sexy-fied version of Grendel's mother.

Watch "Beowulf" on Pluto now

'The Green Knight' (2021)

While the Arthurian legend of The Green Knight may not be as well-known as Homer's epic, it's in the same 'a hero's cautionary tale' vein. Dev Patel stars as Sir Gawain, a headstrong nephew of King Arthur who, despite sitting at the king's right-hand side at the Round Table, has yet to obtain the mark of a true knight by defining what story to tell as evidence of his valor. When the supernaturally oversized Green Knight crashes the king's New Year's Eve shindig and challenges the other knights to a test of strength, Gawain sees his chance to finally make a name for himself and accepts.

With one year to deliver on his side of the bargain, Gawain sets out on a hellish crusade to find the Green Chapel, where the Green Knight resides, and he encounters the usual Arthurian tests of honor and character along the way.

Watch "The Green Knight" on YouTube, Tubi, Xumo Play, or Pluto TV

'The Prince of Egypt' (1998)

Fun fact: While Dreamworks artists were working on "The Prince of Egypt," getting sent to work on "Shrek" was seen as a demotion. "The Prince of Egypt" wowed critics and audiences alike with its poignant, haunting soundtrack and gorgeous visuals that blended then-nascent 3D technology with traditional 2D animation in a way that continues to awe to this day.

Like a lot of kids, I was too busy being scared out of my wits by "The Prince of Egypt" to appreciate it growing up. Only upon revisiting it as an adult was I finally able to understand why it's such a critically acclaimed movie (even if "The Plagues" sequence is still absolute nightmare fuel).

Watch "The Prince of Egypt" on YouTube now

More from Tom's Guide

• 37 biggest summer movies of 2026 — 'Spider-Man,' 'Star Wars,' 'The Odyssey,' 'Toy Story' and more
• Christopher Nolan's 'Memento' just landed on Netflix — and it's the perfect watch before 'The Odyssey' hits theaters this week
• 3 new to Netflix thriller movies to stream this week — including a ‘90s crime classic starring Al Pacino and Johnny Depp (July 9-15)