Hercules is said to be the demigod son of Zeus, who completed the legendary Twelve Labors after being betrayed by Hera, who drove him insane and caused him to murder his wife and children during a visit to King Eurystheus. King-turned-prophet Amphiaraus of Argos, thief Autolycus of Sparta, feral warrior Tydeus of Thebes, Amazon archer Atalanta of Scythia, and storyteller Iolaus of Athens comprise Hercules' band of mercenaries. The film became a box office success, earning $244 million on a $100 million budget and received mixed reviews from critics, with some praise for Johnson's performance and the action sequences. It was one of two Hollywood-studio Hercules films released in 2014, the other one being Lionsgate's The Legend of Hercules. The film follows Hercules, a self-proclaimed demigod, and his band of mercenaries as they are hired to lead the Thracian army against a warlord.ĭistributed by Paramount Pictures, Hercules was released on July 25, 2014. It is based on Steve Moore's graphic novel Hercules, specifically The Thracian Wars limited series. The film also stars Ian McShane, Rufus Sewell, Joseph Fiennes, Peter Mullan, and John Hurt. It is directed by Brett Ratner from a screenplay written by Ryan J. Hercules is a 2014 American action-adventure fantasy film starring Dwayne Johnson as the titular character.