In 2023, Christopher Nolan thrilled moviegoers with Oppenheimer. Success is there. And even if barbie did (much) better at the box office (well done Greta!), that’s good Oppenheimer who made a raid during the 96th Academy Awards last March.
Thus, Nolan’s latest film won 7 statuettes (out of 13 nominations): best film, best direction, best actor for Cillian Murphy, best supporting actor for Rober Downey Jr., best editing, best original music and best photography .
Obviously, Christopher Nolan is currently not twiddling his thumbs. On the contrary, the director is already working on his next feature film. Just before Christmas, information on this future project was announced. Like a beautiful gift that someone slips under the tree…
Also read – 5 cult Christopher Nolan films to see urgently
Christopher Nolan wants to adapt Homer’s Odyssey
For his next film, Christopher Nolan sees things big since he wants to tackle a true monument of literature: The Odyssey of Homer. Just that!
Farewell, therefore, the Second World War, which Nolan dissected in Dunkirk Then Oppenheimer. The filmmaker is interested in a more distant era in History: Antiquity. While the peplum is back in the spotlight with Gladiator IIwhich Nolan loved, it seems that the director also wants to rub shoulders with this historical period.
The Odyssey by Homer is considered a masterpiece of world literature. It is a founding text of ancient Greek culture. In this epic, Homer tells us the story of the hero Odysseus after playing a major role in the Trojan War. But his return home, to the island of Ithaca, where his wife and child await him, is strewn with pitfalls and his journey will last a decade. In total, Ulysses will have been absent for 20 years.
During his (very long) journey, Ulysses will cross paths with key figures from Greek mythology. We can cite the magician Circe, the famous mermaids, the nymph Calypso, the impressive Cyclops… And the wrath of the god Poseidon hovers above his ship. The Odyssey also complements The Illiadwhich largely recounts the famous Trojan War.
Christopher Nolan’s next film ‘The Odyssey’ is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.
— Universal Pictures (@UniversalPics) December 23, 2024
In short, by wanting to adapt The Odyssey on the big screen, Christopher Nolan has his work cut out for him. On We should therefore have our eyes full, and our ears full.
As usual, Christopher Nolan calls on the cream of the crop. Thus, the first names of the casting are a dream: Tom Holland (Spider-Man), Zendaya (Challengers), Matt Damon (Will Hunting), Anne Hathaway (The devil wears Prada), Lupita Nyong’o (Twelve years a slave), Robert Pattinson (The Batman) or even Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road). Who will play who? That’s another story. But there is already something to tickle our curiosity.
To discover the “Nolanesque” vision of The Odysseyyou will have to wait a little. Universal Pictures has set the release date for this upcoming film to July 17, 2026. Hoping it won’t be postponed until then…
