Summary
- Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey may incorporate non-linear storytelling suited for its circular narrative style.
- Key themes in The Odyssey such as truth and subjective accounts align with Nolan's cinematic interests.
- Nolan's likely use of practical effects over CGI in The Odyssey suggests a departure from traditional fantasy films.
It was revealed by Universal last month that Christopher Nolan's next film will be an adaptation of The Odyssey. Following on from the enormously successful Oppenheimer, which won Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor at the 96th Academy Awards, there is a lot of anticipation about what Nolan's next feature will bring to the table.
The Odyssey tells the tale of Odysseus, a celebrated Greek soldier, as he attempts to return home from the devastating Trojan War. The original epic poem, ostensibly composed by Homer, emerged around the 8th Century BC. The Odyssey represents a classic form of Ancient Greek storytelling that mingles reality with fantasy, often using elaborate descriptions and metaphors. The fundamental themes of The Odyssey include homecoming, family, and issues of truth and fiction.
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Christopher Nolan’s Cinematic Style
Nolan's preference for non-linear storytelling could be perfect for The Odyssey, which is traditionally told in a circular style, weaving together multiple narratives using prophecies and detailed flashbacks within the central story. This fits in well with other projects in Nolan's cinematography, including Dunkirk, Inception, and Memento, all of which study the concept of time.
The Odyssey's themes certainly seem like fitting material for Nolan; one central concept is truth, with the audience asked to decide how honest Odysseus' account of his adventures really is. The notion of subjective accounts of history is something Nolan has been particularly keen on exploring within his films:
I am fascinated by our subjective perception of reality, that we are all stuck in a very singular point of view, a singular perspective on what we all agree to be an objective reality.
Hopefully, this theme is something Nolan will be able to dig into using particular cuts or coloring techniques, as he did in Oppenheimer, where historically factual scenes were depicted in black and white, with Oppenheimer's internal thoughts and feelings recognized in color.
Beyond this, how Nolan will choose to tell Homer's story remains a mystery. Some of Nolan's hallmark stylistic choices include urban landscapes, mathematical imagery and muted, neutral colors. It will be interesting to see how he integrates these grounding principles into a story that is broadly considered fantastical.
Will These Iconic Scenes Be Featured In The Adaptation?
One of the most pressing questions for fans of the original epic is how Nolan will recreate some of the most whimsical and strange episodes from The Odyssey. The epic features dozens of encounters with mystical people and mythical creatures, all of which complicate Odysseus' journey home.
In a run in with the one-eyed Cyclops, Odysseus must escape by hiding underneath a herd of sheep. In another, the witch Circe turns men into pigs. Another iconic scene sees Odysseus traveling to the underworld, where he faces emotional reunions with fallen soldiers from Troy, who tell their tales and issue warnings. It will be curious to see how Christopher Nolan represents these significant fantasy scenes, and how he will incorporate them into his style of film-making. All that can be said with certainty is that the material covered in The Odyssey is unlike anything he has worked on before.
Some have speculated that Nolan's adaptation could be a contemporary interpretation, and while this would certainly change the shape of the story, it does not necessarily mean all fantasy elements will be disregarded. It has been said that filming will take place in the UK, Morocco, and Italy, which could suggest the film is a faithful recreation of the epic's ambiguous Mediterranean setting, but other aspects of setting remain unknown.
Another adaptation of Homer's Odyssey, the Coen brother's comedy feature, O Brother, Where Art Thou?, might give audiences an idea of the liberties other directors have taken with the source material. While O Brother, Where Art Thou? Draws on significant and recognizable plot aspects of the epic, it's setting in rural Mississippi during the 1930s is an obvious deviation, and the protagonist, Ulysses, deals with a very different set of circumstances to Odysseus, trying to escape prison before his wife remarries. It makes sense to expect a more serious, suspenseful production from Nolan, but that isn't to say the story won't be changed significantly, as the Coen's did before him.
Will Nolan Use CGI In The Odyssey?
In his previous films, Christopher Nolan has used practical effects instead of CGI wherever possible, seeking to distinguish between traditional film and animation. Generally, Nolan only uses computer-generated enhancements on scenes already caught on film.
To accurately recreate some of the most vivid scenes of The Odyssey, Nolan may be challenged by using predominantly practical techniques. Nolan has never directed a film with considerable fantasy elements before, and while this new genre could see him using more computer-generated effects, it seems more likely this new project won't see him abandoning his traditional style, which is one of the most distinctive in Hollywood.
Who’s Playing Who?
While some of the actors attached to The Odyssey have been revealed, it remains yet to be seen who will be playing who. Audiences have speculated that Matt Damon will likely play Odysseus, with Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope, and Tom Holland taking on the role of their son, Telemachus. Other confirmed choices, including Zendaya, Charlize Theron, and Lupita Nyong'o, remain more of a mystery.
Nolan’s choice to cast Twilight actor Robert Pattinson is particularly intriguing. Recently, Pattinson has taken on roles in more off-beat films, including his upcoming collaboration with Bong Joon-Ho, Mickey 17, and his celebrated voice performance as the Gray Heron in The Boy and The Heron from Studio Ghibli. With this in mind, there is the possibility that Pattinson could be taking on a fantastical role, like Poseidon, or the Cyclops.
The Odyssey is due to be released in theaters on July 17, 2026.
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