Hercules (Dwayne Johnson) is the le

Hercules (Dwayne Johnson) is the leader of a band of mercenaries comprising the spear-wielding prophet Amphiaraus (Ian McShane) of Argos, the knife-throwing thief Autolycus (Rufus Sewell) of Sparta, the feral warrior Tydeus (Aksel Hennie) of Thebes, the Amazon archer Atalanta (Ingrid Bolsø Berdal) of Scythia and his nephew storyteller Iolaus (Reece Ritchie) of Athens. Hercules is said to be the demigod son of Zeus, who completed the legendary Twelve Labors, only to be betrayed by Hera, who drove him insane and caused him to murder his wife Megara (Irina Shayk) and their children during a visit to King Eurystheus (Joseph Fiennes). Though Hercules's demigod heritage and the truth behind his labors is questioned by everyone, he does display unusual strength and skill in combat. Hercules is frequently haunted by the memory of the deaths of his wife and daughters by his hand, as well as visions of Cerberus.

After finishing a recent mission and saving his nephew, (on the Macedonian Coast in Northern Greece in 358 BC) Hercules and his team are celebrating and drinking at a tavern when they are approached by Ergenia (Rebecca Ferguson), on behalf of her father, Lord Cotys (John Hurt), who wants Hercules to train the armies of Thrace to defend the kingdom from bloodthirsty warlord Rheseus (Tobias Santelmann). Hercules accepts after he and his men are offered his weight in gold, and the band is welcomed to Thrace by King Cotys and General Sitacles (Peter Mullan), leader of the Thracian army. However, Rheseus has reached the Bessi tribe in Central Thrace and Cotys insists that Hercules leads the army into battle to defend the Bessi, despite their lack of training. However, they are too late as Rheseus' sorcery has turned the Bessi against the Thracians. After the Bessi are defeated, Hercules properly trains the army, then Hercules and Sitacles confront Rheseus and his soldiers on the battlefield before Mount Asticus. The Thracians force Rheseus' army to retreat, but Rheseus himself rides out to confront Hercules and is defeated by him. Rheseus is taken back to Thrace as a prisoner, where he is tortured and humiliated. Hercules takes pity and stops the townfolk from throwing more objects at him, then Hercules mentions Rheseus' actions of burning down villages, Rheseus tells him it was not him or his army, and tells Hercules that he has been fighting on the wrong side. Later in the hall of the palace, Rheseus has been chained up and left on display, noticing that Ergenia has taken pity to him, Hercules confronts her and finds out Rheseus was telling the truth in that he was merely retaliating against Lord Cotys's aggressive attempts to expand his kingdom, and, although Ergenia doesn't agree with his methods, she goes along with them for the sake of her son, Arius, Lord Cotys's successor to the throne, who is being threatened by Cotys.

After receiving their reward, the mercenaries are ready to leave, but Hercules decides to stay behind to stop Cotys, and all but Autolycus choose to follow him. However, they are overpowered and captured by Sitacles and his men. While chained, Hercules is confronted by King Eurystheus, who is in league with Lord Cotys, and reveals that he drugged Hercules the night his family died, viewing him as a threat to his power. Hercules's family was in fact killed by three vicious wolves sent by Eurystheus, resulting in Hercules's constant hallucinations of Cerberus. When Lord Cotys orders Ergenia to be executed for her betrayal, Hercules is encouraged by Amphiaraus to believe in himself just as everyone believes in him. In a show of inhuman strength, Hercules breaks free of his chains, saving Ergenia and slaying the wolves with his bare hands. Hercules releases the prisoners, including Rheseus, and then confronts King Eurystheus, impaling him with his own dagger. He is attacked by Sitacles, who is then stabbed by Iolaus.

Outside, Hercules and his forces battle Lord Cotys and his army. Arius is taken hostage, but th