Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is set to be released on 17 July 2026 to great anticipation. Given that scholars across thousands of years have devoted their lives to this text, the task of turning it into a film could be likened to condensing the entire Bible into less than three hours.
For those unfamiliar with The Odyssey, it is a piece of oral poetry in the epic style. This means that it was crafted over time and would have originally been performed by a bard from memory at gatherings around the 8th century BC. When performed in full, it would have taken around nine to twelve hours. So, turning this ancient work into the most modern form of storytelling feels deeply profound. Nolan has shown little sign of referencing the poem’s oral origins; however, the character of the bard provides him with an opportunity, which it will be interesting to see if he takes.
The story follows Odysseus returning from the Trojan War—a journey which takes him ten years—in which he encounters sirens, cyclopes, goddesses, and other legendary challenges. Odysseus returns home to find his devoted wife, for whom he has pined the whole time, being propositioned by 108 suitors, whom he massacres in a final battle scene. Anyone who has read The Odyssey will agree that Nolan will not be able to include everything depicted in the poem whilst giving each episode its due justice. However, given the episodic nature of the books that make up The Odyssey, this, in theory, should not be of concern. Given the scale required, it is no wonder that, at $250 million, this is Nolan’s most expensive project yet.
What classicists are interested to see is how Nolan will tackle some of the more ancient elements of the story. Much of the plot is driven by divine intervention on the part of Poseidon, Hera, and Athene, due to feuds originating in the origins of the Trojan War. One problem Nolan will face is how to include this without getting caught up in the pretext, whilst conveying these relationships to a modern audience. Furthermore, the characterisation of Odysseus will, one hopes, embody the complexity of the character in the poem. Whilst undoubtedly an archetypal hero, his actions—some of which would shatter that status in the modern eye—will be difficult to tackle. For example, the massacre of 108 men and the hanging of 12 maids at the end of the poem, although seen as justice in Ancient Greece, might be harder to justify to a modern viewer. Furthermore, the character of Penelope, who in the poem is largely a docile wife and yet the heroine of the story, may need to be reimagined to get the audience fully on the couple’s side, given that their relationship lies at the heart of the plot.
Looking at the cast, you would be hard-pressed to list more big names. Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus—given the noting of his short stature and good looks—this is pretty spot on with the descriptions of the hero provided. So far, it has not been announced who is playing whom, but taking an educated guess: Tom Holland will be playing Telemachus (Odysseus’s son), Anne Hathaway playing Penelope (Odysseus’s wife), Zendaya playing Circe (a witch with whom Odysseus falls in love), and Mia Goth potentially playing a Siren.
It goes without saying, Nolan has a mammoth—perhaps even impossible—task. But The Odyssey is set to be one of the most exciting releases in decades.
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