Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey is bringing one of Greece’s oldest stories back into the center of popular culture.
The film, based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic, follows Odysseus on his long journey home after the Trojan War, a voyage filled with monsters, temptations, gods, danger and the enduring pull of Ithaca.
Nolan’s version, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, is scheduled for release on July 17, 2026, and has already sparked wide interest among moviegoers, classicists and fans of Greek mythology.
Penn State University has added a scholarly voice to the conversation with a new video featuring classics and ancient Mediterranean studies professors Anna Peterson and Laura Marshall. In the video, the two professors react to the film trailer and discuss where Hollywood spectacle meets Homeric tradition.
The conversation explores the ancient poem behind the blockbuster, including the story’s major characters, themes and mythological world. It also gives viewers a chance to see how scholars of Greek literature respond when one of the most famous works of the ancient world is reimagined for modern cinema.
For Greeks and anyone raised with these stories, The Odyssey is more than an adventure tale. It is a story about exile, longing, survival, identity and the impossible pull of home.
