In December of 2024, director Christopher Nolan revealed he was working with his wife, Emma Thomas, on a film adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey”. The novel surrounds Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, and his 10-year-long homecoming journey following the Greeks’ victory in the Trojan War. Film enthusiasts are very excited about this film, as Nolan also directed the seven-time Oscar-winning film, “Oppenheimer”. The current cast of The Odyssey includes stars like Tom Holland as Telemachus, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, and many others. Filming is scheduled to begin later in 2025, with the release date being July 17th, 2026. The film will be set in multiple locations including The United Kingdom, Sicily, and Morocco. Nolan picked Sicily as one of the locations for his film because it allegedly inspired Homer while writing the Odyssey. However, this is not the first time the Odyssey has been adapted, as there are two direct adaptations, Ulysses (1954) and The Odyssey (1997), and many films based on The Odyssey. The previous adaptations, lead the audience to wonder what Nolan will include in his film to make it special. Will the film be linear? How will he portray the gods and the monsters to show the contrast between divine and evil intent? How will he ensure that the film will linger with the viewers?
Even though there are many unknowns about this film, here are some aspects he has revealed to the public. Firstly, the film's budget is 250 million dollars, making this the most expensive film in Nolan's career. Other films with the same budget include Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince, The Lion King, and Black Panther, which were all blockbusters. Secondly, the film is shot in the present day, while the others were filmed in the mid to late 1900s, resulting in the computer-generated imagery in this film being more refined and advanced, giving it a realistic appearance. Nolan also plans to use IMAX technology, which will make the film even more immersive and pictorial. Lastly, both Ulysses and the 1997 version of The Odyssey were filmed relatively close to the structure of Homer's novel. Nolan, however, is known to have his own take on adaptations, making them more cinematic and insightful., another aspect that could make or break this film is the score. The score is being composed by Ludwig Göransson, a Swedish composer, who is known for the scores for movies like Black Panther, Oppenheimer, and Creed, which are all huge successes. Christopher Nolan has never quite adapted a mythological film like this one, but with his special storytelling style, and wonderful imagery, this film may be his best yet!
Excellent Review 👍👍