Christopher Nolan‘s next big offering, The Odyssey, is right around the corner. The film will adapt one of the oldest stories in the Western literary canon, The Odyssey, which chronicles the journey of King Odysseus as he travels back to his home of Ithaca after a decade spent fighting in the Trojan War.
With its star-studded cast, it is obvious that Nolan’s list of cast members for the film overlapped with major franchises, especially the wide range of superhero films being made, and even his own work in the genre. Be it Anne Hathaway, who portrays Queen Penelope, or Tom Holland, who portrays the prince of Ithaca, Telemachus, or Robert Pattinson, playing the lead suitor for Penelope’s hand, Antinous, all these actors have essayed roles in superhero films.
Nolan touched on The Odyssey, and the Homeric works of the past are actually completely in line with superhero films.
Christopher Nolan Compared Homer’s Epics To Marvel
Appearing on The Late Show and speaking with Stephen Colbert, Nolan discussed the various actors who had starred in his film, noting that he would love to work with them again. When Colbert highlighted that many of the principal actors in his films have strong superhero legacies, Nolan said he thinks The Odyssey fits snugly into the niche as well. He said (via Variety):
The thing about Homer, it is the Marvel of its day. It’s very directly this desire for us to feel or believe gods could walk amongst us, and I think the modern comic book is kind of our expression of that.
The Odyssey was written down long after the possible historical events that inspired it had occurred. While the stories themselves take place during the Greek Bronze Age, Homer wrote The Iliad and The Odyssey when Greece had already entered the Iron Age. However, characters from these stories have appeared in Marvel and DC comics, often aiding or opposing the likes of Thor and Wonder Woman.
In Many Ways, Modern Superhero Cinema Is Like The Epic Cycle
While the Iliad and the Odyssey are two epics that cover certain events of the Trojan War, the Greek Epic Cycle included many more stories that are now lost to time. Given that most of these stories are from a largely oral tradition, these were recited and re-recited across various settings in the archaic world before they were finally written down by Homer. This is not dissimilar to the likes of the MCU, which tells complete sagas through various multi-part stories.
The way the epic cycle currently exists would be akin to having the entire MCU being wiped out during a period of poor record-keeping, with Endgame and Spider-Man: Far From Home surviving in some form. The Epic Cycle also lends itself to telling self-contained stories that are part of a bigger narrative. The only reason we know that these stories existed beyond the Iliad and the Odyssey is that, while they were extant, writers copied verses from them and recorded their existence in commentaries and criticisms. They were also used as source material for plays that have survived to the present day.
The Odyssey Is A Story About Gods- and Monsters
There are a slew of supernatural creatures that are present in the Odyssey. While the chief conflict centers on Odysseus offending Poseidon by blinding his son, Odysseus also encounters other deities, spirits, and monsters on his ten-year journey from Troy to Ithaca.
The most prominent among these creatures are the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Laestrygonian Giants, the Sirens, Scylla, and Charybdis. These monsters are some of the main challenges that Odysseus faces, while also having to fight and deal with villainous gods like Poseidon and Calypso.
Polyphemus is the one-eyed son of Poseidon who traps Odysseus and his men when they try to steal the latter’s sheep. Odysseus and his men have to blind him to get out. This prompts Polyphemus to complain to Poseidon, the god of the sea, who then makes it very difficult for Odysseus to make it home.
The Laestrygonians Giants were cannibalistic giants that tried to eat Odysseus and his men. The Sirens were bird-like creatures with the faces of women who would lure sailors with their songs. Odysseus famously had his men tie him to the mast of his ship so that he could listen to their song, while the rest of the crew plugged their ears with beeswax.
Scylla and Charybdis were a whirlpool and a monster that were on two opposite ends of a pass. Trying to avoid one would usually mean sailing right into the territory of the other.
However, not all monsters in the story are supernatural. Even human characters like Antinous are portrayed as horrible human beings who go out of their way to take advantage of Odysseus’ absence, and try to pressure Penelope to choose one of them as her husband, possibly even against her will.
There Were Other Foes That Odysseus Faced Who Were Not Monsters
Odysseus facing with Circe || Credit: Universal Studios
Apart from the myriad of supernatural creatures that stood in Odysseus’ path back home, there were some obstacles that were not monsters. For example, the island of the lotus eaters had flowers that kept those who ingested them sedated. Needless to say, Odysseus’ crew did end up eating some and had to be left behind.
Circe was a witch, the daughter of the god Helios. Odysseus would end up having a child with her. Calypso was an immortal goddess who was trapped on an island. She wished that Odysseus would stay with her. However, upon the goddess Athena’s intervention, she was allowed to leave the island.
Poseidon himself would pursue Odysseus throughout his journey until a peace was negotiated, and Athena (with the help of Hermes) would deliver him home.
NameThe OdysseyDirectorChristopher NolanProduced ByUniversal PicturesSyncopyCastMatt DamonTom HollandAnne HathawayRobert PattinsonLupita Nyong’oZendayaCharlize TheronBudget$250 million (via The Hollywood Reporter)
Who do you think actors like Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Elliot Page, and Travis Scott are playing? Let us know in the comments!
The Odyssey will hit theatres on July 17, 2026.
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