How Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ attracts filmmakers including Christopher Nolan

Christopher Nolan will direct a film adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. , Photo courtesy: Reuters

Universal Studios announced that Christopher Nolan will direct the film adaptation of Homer’s classic Greek epic The Odyssey, which describes Odysseus’ challenging journey home after the Trojan War.

The epic was written in Greek between about 750 and 650 BC. It describes Odysseus’s decade-long journey as he attempts to return to his homeland of Ithaca following the events of the Trojan War. The narrative explores a world filled with gods, mythical creatures, and complex legends, centering on the Greek hero Odysseus, king of Ithaca.

Set in ancient Greece, the story intertwines the fates of gods, humans and demons. The story begins with Odysseus imprisoned on the island of Ogygia a decade after the Trojan War. Although the gods helped him escape, the sea god Poseidon caused him to be shipwrecked on Sheria. Odysseus’s voyage home is full of many challenges and dangers. The Odyssey is considered a cornerstone of Western literature and is one of the earliest literary works that is widely read.

The first English translation of the Odyssey appeared in the 16th century, and the work has inspired countless adaptations and reinterpretations in diverse media, including numerous theatrical productions and films.

Here are some films based on The Odyssey:

1. The 2011 Canadian film ‘Keyhole’, directed by Guy Maddin.

2. The Italian film ‘The Lion of Thebes’, released in 1964, was written and directed by Giorgio Ferroni.

3. ‘The Mysterious Island’, a 1905 French silent short film by Georges Méliès.

4. ‘Nostos: The Return’, a 1989 Italian adventure drama film directed by Franco Piavoli.

5. ‘O Brother, Where Art Thou?’, a 2000 satirical comedy-drama musical film, was written, produced, co-edited and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, and is based on The Odyssey.

6. ‘L’Odyssey’, a 1911 Italian silent film, an adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey.

7. ‘The Return’, a drama film set for release in 2024, directed by Umberto Pasolini and starring Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche in the final sections of Homer’s Odyssey, adapted by Edward Bond, John Colley and Pasolini Presents again.

8. ‘The Return of Ringo’, a 1965 Italian film directed by Duccio Tessari

9. ‘Ulysses’, a 1954 fantasy-adventure film directed by Mario Camerini, who co-wrote the screenplay with Franco Brusati.

10. ‘Ulysses Against the Son of Hercules’, a 1962 peplum film directed by Mario Caiano.

11. ‘Ulysses’ Gaze’, a 1995 internationally co-produced war drama film directed by Theo Angelopoulos.