Over the weekend, a first-look photograph for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of epic poem The Odyssey revealed Matt Damon in Odysseus mode, full with a helmet and cloak that’s proper according to our expectations for sword-and-sandal productions. As a result of it was launched on the Web, although, it was instantly criticized by each novice {and professional} historians for a scarcity of historic accuracy.
The chief level of rivalry revolves across the helmet, as a result of in The Iliad (the prequel to The Odyssey) authentic creator Homer describes the “cleverly made” leather-based helmet Odysseus is given for a raid as follows: “On the within there was a powerful lining on interwoven straps, onto which a felt cap had been sewn in. The surface was cleverly adorned throughout with rows of white tusks from a shiny-toothed boar, the tusks operating in alternate instructions in every row.”
It’s a mannequin generally known as the boar’s tusk helmet; social media person @sanstitre2000 drew their very own rendering of what it’d appear like on a extra correct model of the Matt Damon shot.
First take a look at Matt Damon as Odysseus in Robert Egger’s ‘THE ODYSSEY’ pic.twitter.com/CNkTe3ZNyF
— sanstitre (commissions closed) (@sanstitre2000) February 18, 2025
There’s nothing stopping Nolan from suggesting that perhaps Odysseus had multiple helmet, and researching when precisely a helmet like Damon’s may need been worn doesn’t result in any simple solutions concerning the historic instances being depicted right here. As @GreekMythComix factors out, the armor fashion is essentially impressed by sixth to 4th century BC paintings discovered on pottery of that period — whereas The Iliad and Odyssey are set within the Bronze Age, circa twelfth century BC. (What’s a half-dozen centuries although, give or take?)
Mentioned poems are themselves not thought of to be a simple recounting of historical past — there’s a complete Wikipedia article concerning the centuries-old debate over how a lot historic reality could be present in Homer’s authentic work. (Particularly provided that within the authentic texts, the gods play a reasonably large function in the best way occasions unfold.)
Nolan has a monitor report with regards to listening to criticism of his initiatives and responding; see, as one instance, the best way that Tom Hardy’s Bane voice was altered previous to the discharge of The Darkish Knight Rises, after followers complained about his dialogue being obscure in preview footage. So there’s each likelihood that when the ultimate movie premieres on July seventeenth, 2026, we’ll see some new helmet types.
It doesn’t matter what, the period-era costuming places to mattress recommendations that Nolan’s adaptation would happen in actually another time interval than the story’s authentic setting — perhaps. Although if it does prove that a part of this odyssey entails going to house… god assist all of these characters.