Alexander (2004)

Alexander is a 2004 epic historical drama film based on the life of the ancient Macedonian general and king Alexander the Great. It was co-written and directed by Oliver Stone and starred Colin Farrell. The film's original screenplay was derived in part from the book Alexander the Great, published in 1973 by the University of Oxford historian Robin Lane Fox. After release, it performed well in Europe, but the American critical reaction was mixed to negative with criticism aimed at Farrell's casting, the runtime and historical inaccuracies but praise for the performances, action, soundtrack, and visuals. It also grossed $167.3 million worldwide against a $155 million budget, thus making it a box-office bomb. The film also stars Angelina Jolie, Val Kilmer, Jared Leto, Christopher Plummer, Rosario Dawson and Anthony Hopkins.

Four versions of the film exist: the initial theatrical cut and three home video director's cuts: the "Director's Cut" in 2005, the "Final Cut" in 2007, and the "Ultimate Cut" in 2014. The two earlier DVD versions of Alexander ("director's cut" version and the theatrical version) sold over 3.5 million copies in the United States. Oliver Stone's third version, Alexander Revisited: The Final Cut (2007), sold nearly a million copies and became one of the highest-selling catalog items from Warner Bros. Pictures (as of 2012).