Fresh off the success of his Oscar-winning historical drama “Oppenheimer,” acclaimed director Christopher Nolan announced that his next film will be an adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey.” Set to release July 17, 2026, a story that was once deemed unfilmable will now become the boldest challenge of Nolan’s career bringing the myth that created all myths to the big screen. But with the help of revolutionary new IMAX technology and a star-studded cast, Nolan should have the help to create something audiences have never seen before.
Before we can even discuss anything to do with the big screen, it’s essential to understand what Homer’s “The Odyssey” actually is about. With scholars dating the writing of “The Odyssey” back to 725–675 BCE, it is one of two major ancient Greek epic poems linked to Homer, the first being “The Iliad.” It follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, and his journey home following the Trojan War. The 24-book story covers the final six weeks of Odysseus’ ten-year journey from Troy to Ithaca, during which time he encountered many mythical side quests. Upon returning home, with the help of his son, Telemachus, Odysseus defeats the suitors of his loyal wife, Penelope, in a mission to take revenge and reclaim his kingdom.
Many consider “The Odyssey” as one of the greatest stories ever told, and the framework for any modern myth one can think of. J.R.R Tolkien’s “Lord of The Rings,” Frank Herbert’s “Dune,” George Lucas’ “Star Wars,” J.K Rowling’s “Harry Potter,” and many others have ties to Homer’s epic and enduring story.
Many voices have interpreted and translated Homer’s works, but due to its modern relevance and British roots, odds are Christopher Nolan will be pulling from Emily Wilson’s translation of “The Odyssey.” This mixed with how the story jumps around in time a lot, perfect for Nolan’s voice, can provide audiences with an idea of what the movie will look like.
A fascinating element of this project will be the casting choices. Information has not yet been revealed as to who will be tackling each character, but based on the names linked to the film one can only assume who will be playing who. Matt Damon playing Odysseus makes the most sense based on age, with Tom Holland portraying Telemachus. This would be a huge opportunity for Holland to beat the “is nothing without Spider-Man” allegations and deliver a great performance in what will be one of the biggest films of the year. Anne Hathaway is a great match for Penelope. Lupita Nyong’o feels like an incredible fit for Calypso, a nymph who takes Odysseus captive. Charlize Theron in a Nolan movie feels like fate, and she has the essence to portray the Greek Goddess of war, Athena. Zendaya feels like she’s on the path to play Circe, the daughter of Helios, the sun god. The most intriguing piece of this all has to be Robert Pattinson, who thrives on the juiciest of roles. Pattinson as Antinous, the man seeking Penelope’s hand in marriage. Poseidon, the Greek god of the sea, or Polyphemus, the cyclops, all work so well. Pattinson will take on a role he’s never played before with any one of these characters.
Many have considered Homer’s tale to be impossible to translate to the big screen, similar to the likes of “Dune.” With many of its elements being interpreted at different times, a great example of which is the Joel and Ethan Cohen film “O Brother Where Art Thou?” (2000) which pits Odyesseus’ story amidst The Great Depression. But after Denis Villeneuve’s success with his “Dune” franchise, Universal Pictures is giving Christopher Nolan full reign to give audiences something they’ve never seen before. Nolan will be revolutionizing the big screen with new, cutting-edge IMAX technology and a mix of vast global filming locations. Set to be Nolan’s most expensive film yet, with a budget of over $250 million, per reports. This eclipses “The Dark Knight Rises,” which has been Nolan’s priciest picture since 2012 with a budget of $250 million. Set pieces like the battle against the cyclops, the encounter with the siren, the escape from Scylla and Charybdis (who are giant snakes in a whirlpool) and psychedelic scenes courtesy of the Lotus-eaters, will be unimaginably gigantic visual feasts and spectacles.
In the meantime, if viewers want to get more familiar with the story, there’s a film currently in theatres titled, “The Return,” which covers the conclusion of “The Odyssey.” It stars Ralph Fiennes and Juliet Binoche, playing Odysseus and Penelope respectively. You can also see Sean Bean portray Odysseus in “Troy” (2004) starring Brad Pitt.
“Oppenheimer” marked a change in Nolan’s mentality, directing a drama more like “The Social Network” than anything he had done before. Now, he ventures into dramatically different territory with a slow-burn mythological epic. Nolan is evolving, like how people should always be trying to do. Everyone involved, cast and crew alike are in for the project of their lives. Nolan covered a great American saga in “Oppenheimer,” and now, he will cover one of the world’s most iconic with Homer’s “The Odyssey.
