There is nothing like learning about how people thought about the world millennia ago to understand how we feel about the world today. Mythology movies give us that pleasure.
Egyptian mythology movies are among the best of that kind. Whether true stories about ancient Egypt with touches of mythology or straight-up fantasy and adventure movies with lots of myth throughout the script – there are many to choose from.
But we wanted to take it easy and bring only those movies that will teach you something. Movies about Egyptian mythology will show you how close it was to biblical legends and how well these stories are told to explain our ancient stories, myths, and ideas about the world.
While not close to Greek Mythology, Egyptian mythology has a lot to clarify when it comes to breadth and vibrancy of myths. Here are some movie examples:
RELATED: 10 Best Movies Based on Mythology
1. Gods of Egypt (2016)
The name gives away its plot: this is a movie about gods, Egyptian myths that had a lot to do with religion, beliefs, and ideas at the time.
In this movie, you can find heroes and gods, like Horus (son of Osiris), Hathor (Goddess of Love), Thoth (God of Wisdom), Bek (a mortal), Set (God of the Desert), Isis (Goddess of Health), Nephthys (Goddess of Protection), Ra (God of the Sun), Anubis (God of Death) and Osiris himself (God of Afterlife) as the main characters.
The movie goes back and forth about jealousy, power, and treason. It talks about the always harmful search for more power than its due always ends up in chaos, creating conflict where there shouldn’t be.
It’s worth taking a look at, given the number of Egyptian myths within the movie. So many gods and heroes, people who used to matter a lot to Egyptians in a single film, trying to go over essential themes.
Is the movie accurate?
It is not the most accurate of movies, given the idea that mortals and gods could live together in the same world.
In reality, gods and mortals never coexisted, as gods were always myths and invisible beings, just like Christianity and other religions think of god(s).
But it is still an exciting watch, full of action and adventure. It’s like watching a mix of many biblical characters coming together, packed to fill an hour and a half of your time with the always-interesting Egyptian mythology.
2. Cleopatra (1963)
A lot of people don’t know this, but Cleopatra truly existed.
Her life is not taken out of Egyptian mythology but still worth bringing to the movie scene. In this 3-hour long movie, you can learn a lot about her lavish Egyptian life as a queen, the power she has, and how she used it (like a true Goddess).
Who was Cleopatra?
The Queen of the Nile has always been a fascinating subject of study. Her power and ability to change an entire kingdom’s fate marked the world, and now she’s looked at as one of the most powerful women that ever existed.
This movie is more about her personal life, how she handled her inherited power, and how she had romances with Roman emperors and warriors, going from Julius Caesar to Marcus Antonius, while still being a fierce queen in her own right.
While far from being Egyptian mythology, given her life was truer than many other stories in movies you’ll see – it’s still worth a look.
Her turbulent way of life gives you a glimpse of the kingdom that was once so big and powerful and how it seemingly created one of the most prominent God-like figures in history.
3. The Mummy (1999)
What screams more of Egyptian mythology than mummies themselves?
If you don’t know this, Egyptians mummified their dead in hopes of preserving their bodies. The focus was to give their afterlife (or second life) a human body like their previous one.
This movie talks about that – precisely the spirit of Imhotep. He was a high-priest who had affairs with one of the Pharaoh’s mistress. As the pharaoh discovers their affair, the couple decides to kill him.
After the fact, the mistress kills herself, and Imhotep decides to mummify her. Egyptians also believed in resurrection, so Imhotep tries to revive her. In the process, he’s captured and cursed to spend eternity as a mummy, buried alive with beetles.
Fast forward thousands of years, and we get to the main acts of the movie. An action figure, a smart woman, and her brother set themselves to discover more about Imhotep’s story. In the process, they end up resurrecting him – giving life to a powerful Imhotep who wants nothing but revenge and the life of her mistress back.
Here’s where the Egyptian mythology begins, where a cursed Imhotep starts to bring the seven plagues along, giving birth to one of the most exciting movies about ancient Egypt.
Was Imhotep Real?
Believe it or not, Imhotep was an actual person, just like Cleopatra. What makes him different is that he was a real mummy. He was deified and glorified after his death, given he was a great physician and writer of great wisdom.
He was revered to the point of becoming the God of Medicine. As someone who belonged to the long history of Egyptian myths, Imhotep was one of the few actual figures treated like a god, especially after his death. This movie gives him that deserves attention (in the wrong way, but worth it nonetheless).
4. The Mummy (2017)
If you thought the first The Mummy movie was a bit overdone, you might think the same (but even more) about this one.
It is an interesting watch because it touches a totally different side of Egyptian mythology. This time, the life of a sorceress known as Ahmanet (similar to Amunet, an Egyptian goddess).
This sorceress tried to summon Set (God of the Desert), an evil god. She wasn’t allowed, so she was mummified.
Like the first mummy, she was revived. Her body took the form of a spider and later became a zombie-like god figure. She even bared her own army of mummies (zombies).
What was great about it?
The movie isn’t the most accurate, but it touches on a few essential themes in Egyptian mythology.
Afterlife, extra-human powers, and the always scary curses the Egyptian could be part of could last for millennia.
Plus, it gives deserved praise to the seemingly unrelated Amunet, a goddess that today stands close to Tutankhamun with her own statue.
If you want to glimpse what Goddesses could be like in the eyes of ancient Egyptians, this movie could be a great choice.
5. The Ten Commandments (1956)
Few biblical stories are as close to being myths and real-life events as the story of Moses. An Egyptian who appeared in the bible, Moses became the deliverer of god and the savior of thousands.
The Ten Commandments is an old movie, but a great one nonetheless. It tells the story of the Egyptian prophecy, where a Hebrew man turns into a deliverer of the people. After fooling the pharaoh’s wish to kill all Hebrew newborns and turning into an adult, Moses eventually becomes a great warrior and general.
Fast forward until his old age, and Moses becomes the prophecy’s bearer, taking the people out of Egypt as the place is visited by the seven plagues. In the process, he parts the sea in half, brings people to the other side to save them.
Where does it connect with Egyptian mythology?
Moses is a biblical figure belonging to Christian beliefs. But his myth has many similarities to other legends, like Akhenaten, an Egyptian pharaoh. He was mummified, but the story of one of the greatest pharaohs remains.
Moses in the movie also marries Nefertiti, among ancient Egypt’s most revered queens. Like Moses, Akhenaten also married Nefertiti, so the story really makes connections between Egypt and biblical myths.
6. The Prince of Egypt (1998)
Coming back with Moses, you now find the Prince of Egypt.
This one is an animated representation of the same story, where Moses becomes the people’s deliverer after making a prophecy true.
In contrast, the animation adds a touch of interestingness to the story. You can find pretty much the same stories and characters, but with a bit of a twist.
In here, Moses is raised alongside a brother, Rameses II. They slowly grow a friendly competition as siblings, something that eventually becomes a dangerous rivalry.
Why is this movie great to watch?
The usual rivalry between brothers, the pursuit of power, and the power of biblical stories in the real world.
Moses becomes the leader, chosen by the people. His brother becomes an authoritarian leader, trying to stop his brother from gaining people’s love.
Like Gods of Egypt, this movie explains the importance of myths and stories and how they shape reality in one way or another.
7. Exodus: Gods and Kings (2014)
Taking a fiercer and warrior-like semblance, Exodus: Gods and Kings tells the story of Moses more defiantly.
Here, the leader of the people chooses to save thousands of slaves from the hands of Ramses II, the pharaoh, and the seven plagues taking over Egypt.
Once again, Moses is revered as the man of power and connection to god. The Pharaoh Rameses II is known as one of the evillest pharaohs to have ever existed.
Was Moses a real person?
While the story repeats and features many films, there’s no real reason to believe it happens.
Interestingly, some scriptures and inscriptions confirm the existence of Ramesses II as one of the most feared pharaohs, but also one who built a lot of Egypt in his time and a leader who took the Egyptians through many conquering battles.
But there’s no evidence about Moses lifespan, not in Ramesses II world, before or after.
Either way, you can experience the power of biblical characters and how they seemingly match those of Egyptian gods and heroes.
You won’t find any direct connection to Egyptian mythology, but this movie still gives a glimpse of how the world was back then. Not the most accurate depiction for sure, but something that will provide you with a bit to think about and why Egyptian myths were probably
Watch These Movies Today and Learn!
Truth is, few movies touch the Egyptian mythology as well as they could – but they still get close enough to give us a foretaste.
If you’re looking for some Egyptian mythology movies to binge-watch and learn at least a bit in the process, the ones above will fit that mark.
So, are you ready to learn more about ancient Egypt, its myths, and stories? Then turn on your Netflix and get to the watching!
George K has been immersed into the world of myths and dreams for a very long time now, attempting to find the numerous symbolisms and meanings attached to them. He is a prolific writer along with being an independent researcher. Contributing his knowledge and learnings to several magazines and blogs, he has the unique ability to simplify and explain even the most intricate subjects.