The Odyssey Returns
The Odyssey Returns
Written by: Keya Gambhir
Nearly 3,000 years after it was first written, Homer's The Odyssey is once again making headlines. Christopher Nolan's new film adaptation has become one of the biggest movies of 2026, drawing huge audiences to theaters while also inspiring people to read the ancient Greek epic that started it all.
The movie stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, and Tom Holland as Telemachus. During its opening weekend, The Odyssey earned more than $264 million worldwide, making it one of the year's biggest box office successes. Audiences have praised the film's incredible visuals, emotional storytelling, and immersive IMAX experience. In fact, it is the first feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX cameras, leading many fans to seek out special IMAX screenings.
The film's popularity has also sparked a major increase in book sales. According to book industry tracker Circana BookScan, sales of The Odyssey have risen 76 percent compared with last year. Publishers have quickly responded by giving new life to several English translations of Homer's famous poem.
Some publishers have released updated editions with brand-new covers. Picador reissued Robert Fitzgerald's classic 1961 translation in a deluxe hardcover featuring foil details and decorative pages. Penguin Classics also published a colorful hardcover edition of Robert Fagles's popular 1996 translation. Both publishers timed these releases to match the excitement surrounding Nolan's movie.
Other publishers have focused on promoting well-known translators. Emily Wilson's 2017 translation has become one of the most popular versions available. Wilson made history as the first woman to translate The Odyssey into English, and her modern, accessible writing style has introduced thousands of new readers to Homer. Her translation has climbed Amazon's bestseller list, while book clubs and community read-alongs have continued to grow.
Daniel Mendelsohn's recent translation has also gained attention. The author, critic, and professor has appeared in numerous interviews discussing Homer's original story and explaining how it compares with Nolan's adaptation. His publisher emphasizes that his version stays especially faithful to the original Greek language while preserving the poem's literary style.
Even though the movie has been a huge success, not everyone agrees with every creative decision. Some classical scholars have praised Nolan's ambition while questioning several changes made in the adaptation.
Wilson applauded the film for encouraging more people to discover Homer's work, but she felt that some important themes were missing. She noted that major gods like Zeus and Poseidon have much smaller roles than they do in the original poem and believed Penelope's character was not developed enough to fully show the strength of her relationship with Odysseus.
Mendelsohn also admired Nolan's impressive filmmaking but argued that the movie changes one of Odysseus's defining traits. In Homer's epic, Odysseus is known for his intelligence, wit, and clever tricks. Mendelsohn believes the film instead presents him as a darker, more troubled hero similar to characters from Nolan's earlier movies.
Despite these criticisms, many scholars agree that the film has accomplished something remarkable: it has introduced one of the world's oldest stories to a whole new generation. As moviegoers continue filling theaters and readers pick up different translations of The Odyssey, Homer's timeless adventure is proving that a great story can still captivate audiences thousands of years after it was first told.
References
Franklin, MJ. 2026. “To Sell Homer’s Odyssey, Publishers, Like Its Hero, Get Crafty.” The New York Times, July 20, 2026. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/07/20/books/odyssey-book-editions.html
Italie, Hillel. 2026. “Not Greek to Them. Scholars Question Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.” Associated Press, July 19, 2026. https://apnews.com/article/odyssey-christopher-nolan-greek-translators-ea67da1d543d021773824bd7e8de8abe
Rubin, Rebecca. 2026. “5 Reasons The Odyssey Defied Box Office Expectations, Including Imax’s Monster $52 Million Start.” Variety, July 20, 2026. https://variety.com/2026/film/box-office/odyssey-box-office-christopher-nolan-1236816035/