Was the Kraken in Greek Mythology?

In the recent action film Clash of the Titans, itself a remake of the 19981 movie of the same name, the penultimate moment of the film is when Perseus (played by Sam Worthington of Avatar fame) faces off against a giant sea monster named the Kraken. Clash, as most already know, is a very loose adaption of Greek mythology, telling the story of Perseus as he engages in such adventures as cutting off the head of Medusa and saving Andromeda. According to the movie, the Kraken is the ultimate secret weapon of the gods on Mount Olympus; however, those familiar with Greek mythology might be left scratching their heads, wondering where this "Kraken" monster came from when the original story had Perseus facing the monster Ceto.

That's because, well, there is no Kraken in Greek Mythology. The Kraken is actually a Norse monster.

The Kraken, usually depicted less as a humanoid creature and resembling something more along the lines of an enormous octopus, was a sea monster that many early sailors and fisherman reported sightings of all the way back to the 1200's. It was a terrifying creature that would sometimes attack ships. The myth of the Kraken grew for centuries, much like its cousin the sea serpent. Kraken were said to be the size of a small island, often even being mistaken for islands themselves. Perhaps more dangerous than the Kraken itself was the enormous whirlpool it created when it went back under the surface.

With our knowledge today, it's not too hard to guess where legends of the Kraken may have come from. Giant squids, though still a rare find, have been proven to exist and can grow to be as long as 50 feet from their head to the tips of their many tentacles. Though not quite the size of a small island, the idea of being attacked by a giant squid in little more than a wooden ship is more than horrifying.

But why'd they insert this monster into Clash of the Titans?

Well, for one, it was in the original Harryhausen movie - though the Kraken in that film had very little to do with the mythological one, as it was portrayed to be a humanoid with four arms. As far as its placement in the original film, though, a lot of it comes down to simple popularity. It's a creature that's played a very influential role in many pieces of fiction over the years, possibly even being the inspiration behind H.P. Lovecraft's Cthulhu. Few ancient monsters have as much name recognition as the Kraken, so it's safe to say that there's still many more depictions of the Kraken yet to come.