The Odyssey’s latest images confirm an element that’s been consistent with Christopher Nolan’s films for 25 years. Nolan has developed a reputation for himself in the 21st century as one of the only filmmakers capable of bringing audiences into theaters for non-franchise-related, massive, blockbuster titles. R-rated biopics like Oppenheimer typically aren’t box office draws, but the film scored a monumental, nearly $1 billion run back in 2023. Movies like Inception and Interstellar, original sci-fi stories without any source material to draw from, were also tremendous hits.
Following Christopher Nolan’s Best Director and Best Picture triumphs, Universal Studios seeks to capitalize on the partnership with another epic tale, providing the visionary filmmaker with all the resources necessary to bring The Odyssey to life. For those who aren’t familiar, The Odyssey is one of the oldest recorded works of literature, an epic poem about the Ancient Greek hero Odysseus. For those who love Nolan, but who aren’t necessarily into historical, fantastical, or sword-and-sandal stories, this may pique your interest more than expected.
‘The Odyssey’ Continues Christopher Nolan’s Exploration of Time
As of now, The Odyssey is still several months away, but with Wicked just around the corner and likely to bring millions to theaters, Universal Studios is kicking off its marketing campaign with new images. Previously, the only concrete image audiences had seen was that of Matt Damon suited up as Odysseus. New promotional material depicts a shot of the Greeks steering the Trojan Horse on the beaches of Troy, suggesting that the story will flash back to the Trojan War, the mythical conflict that takes place before The Odyssey.
Time is a prevalent factor in The Odyssey, as the story begins toward the end of a ten-year journey. However, most of the tale is told retrospectively, as Odysseus recounts his journey from the end of the war to the various conflicts that delayed his return trip. This aspect of non-linear narrative should be familiar to fans of Nolan’s work, dating back to Memento, and though The Odyssey’s temporal arrangement won’t be quite as convoluted a web as the 2000 film, it will still provide an additional layer of complexity.
Christopher Nolan has established a style with films like Tenet, Oppenheimer, Inception, and more, for dealing with theoretical scientific material, tying massive, complex subject material with distinctly human themes. Even The Prestige, his only period drama to date, has a massive scientific component with the incorporation of Nikola Tesla. This may make The Odyssey seem like something of an outlier in a filmography that typically looks forward, rather than backward. However, I’m here to tell you that The Odyssey is timeless, and it’s going to feel much more like a Nolan film than some might expect. In fact, this story is quintessentially Nolan.
Aside from the fact that Christopher Nolan already took significant inspiration from The Odyssey to craft the beloved story of Interstellar, it’s worth mentioning that this story has roots in practically every fictional narrative you’re familiar with. This is the definitive, archetypal root of the “Hero’s Journey,” a narrative structure coined by scholar Joseph Campbell, that’s been mimicked by stories like Star Wars and The Lord of the Rings. It was undoubtedly on Nolan’s mind to establish his version of Batman in The Dark Knight trilogy, and it’s also present in many of his favorite films that inspired him to become a director.
- Release Date
-
July 17, 2026
- Producers
-
Emma Thomas