10 Things to Know Before Watching The Odyssey

10 Things to Know Before Watching The Odyssey

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re telling you ten things you should know ahead of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”

The Scope Stays True to the Journey Home

When adapting a text as dense as Homer’s epic, it can be tempting to include the whole backstory. However, Nolan smartly avoids getting bogged down in prequel territory or rehashing the infamous Trojan War. Instead, the narrative thrust plunges audiences straight into the meat of the poem: the harrowing, decade-long voyage back to the shores of Ithaca. The film tightly focuses on Odysseus’s most iconic trials, from outsmarting the brutal Cyclops Polyphemus to resisting the enchanting Sirens and escaping the nymph Calypso. It also perfectly balances this high-seas adventure with the tension back home, chronicling Queen Penelope’s desperate political maneuvering as she tries to fend off a castle full of violent suitors vying for the throne.

The Production Was Physically Punishing

If you thought navigating the ancient world was tough, try shooting it. Matt Damon hasn’t shied away from detailing just how grueling this production actually was. To capture the gritty realism of Odysseus’s cursed voyage, the elements were essentially weaponized against the cast. We’re talking about Damon being relentlessly blasted by high-pressure water hoses and soaked by freezing rain during Iceland’s relentless “white nights” to simulate the underworld. Even the supposedly idyllic Moroccan beaches used for Calypso’s island were notoriously wind-whipped. But nobody could complain, because Nolan was right there in the trenches. The director was always just a few feet away, enduring the exact same miserable weather conditions without ever uttering a single complaint.

A Global Production Footprint

To authentically capture the Mediterranean world of antiquity without relying on green screens, Nolan took his crew on a globe-trotting adventure across half a dozen countries. Filming began in Morocco, where the ancient, sun-baked clay village of Aït Benhaddou stood in for the besieged city of Troy. From there, the production sailed to Greece, shooting the terrifying Cyclops sequence in Nestor’s Cave above the horseshoe-shaped Voidokilia Beach. The cast also battled the elements in Italy, utilizing the rugged Egadi and Aeolian Islands, while Tom Holland was spotted fending off enemies at Greece’s medieval Methoni Castle. Additional jaw-dropping practical locations included Scotland, Malta, and even Iceland’s volcanic landscapes to represent the desolate Underworld!

A Wild, Drowning Trojan Horse

Forget the towering wooden statue you’ve seen in history books and past movie adaptations. Nolan is known for his grounded, high-stakes twists, and his vision for the Trojan Horse is terrifying. Instead of a majestic wooden monolith parked on the sand, the Greeks’ secret weapon is portrayed as a half-submerged disaster. Greek soldiers are crammed inside this waterlogged wreckage, banking on the Trojans dragging the “debris” inside their impenetrable walls. Interestingly enough, Nolan originally conceptualized this exact visual over two decades ago when he was loosely circling “Troy.” Now, he finally gets to unleash this nightmare sequence on the big screen.

Matt Damon’s Intense Physical Transformation

To embody the legendary King of Ithaca, Matt Damon had to push his body to its limits. Nolan had a very specific vision for Odysseus: he needed to look lean, weathered, and undeniably strong - the physical manifestation of a veteran warrior battered by a decade of sea travel. To achieve this, Damon adopted a punishing regimen, completely eliminating gluten and dropping his body weight down to a sinewy 167 pounds. Furthermore, Nolan has a well-known aversion to fake makeup and prosthetics whenever practical alternatives exist. As a result, Damon had to grow out an unkempt beard for an entire year to capture the rugged look of a man who hasn’t seen civilization in a decade.

Tom Holland Paused “Spider-Man” to Sail with Nolan

It takes a lot of sway to hit the brakes on the MCU, but then again, this is Christopher Nolan and Tom Holland we’re talking about. In a massive flex, production for “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” was pushed back just so Tom Holland could step into the sandals of Telemachus. It was the opportunity of a lifetime for Holland, allowing him to trade spandex for swords and sail to sunny Greece, all while working under one of cinema’s greatest auteurs. But the web-slinger didn’t just walk away with great memories. Holland has eagerly shared in interviews that he absorbed so much regarding story structure and pacing on Nolan’s set that he brought those lessons straight back to Marvel, actively contributing to the script for “Brand New Day.”

It’s a 20 Year Passion Project for Nolan

Rome wasn’t built in a day, and apparently, neither was this movie. Nolan has been harboring a deep fascination with ancient Greek epics for a massive chunk of his career. In fact, he flirted with the idea of directing a Trojan War movie back in his early days, but he ultimately backed away, humbly admitting that he felt a bit out of his depth. Well that was baby Nolan. Let’s fast forward twenty years. After mastering the art of the epic blockbuster, the visionary filmmaker finally felt equipped to tackle Homer’s sprawling masterpiece. This film isn’t just another notch on his directorial belt; it is the culmination of two decades of artistic growth, patience, and unwavering passion.

It Was Filmed Entirely on Brand-New IMAX Technology

You didn’t think Nolan would settle for standard widescreen, did you? Teaming up once again with his genius cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, the duo is pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling to absolute extremes. “The Odyssey” is making movie history as the very first feature film to be shot from beginning to end using IMAX 70 millimeter cameras. Because traditional IMAX rigs are notoriously heavy and loud, the production necessitated the development of brand new technology specifically engineered for this shoot. This cutting edge gear allowed the crew to maintain extreme mobility on rocky shores and turbulent waters while still capturing the mythic scale of the epic. So make sure you book the biggest screen possible!

A Record-Breaking Budget for the Director

Bringing gods, monsters, and ancient civilizations to life certainly doesn’t come cheap, and the studio opened its checkbook wide for this endeavor. Boasting an estimated budget of roughly $250 million, “The Odyssey” officially reigns as the most expensive project of Christopher Nolan’s entire career. To put that staggering figure into perspective, “Interstellar” cost nearly $100 million less! While Nolan is famous for maximizing every single dollar on screen, recreating the treacherous ten year voyage across the Mediterranean naturally demanded a historic level of financial backing. Clearly, Universal believes this epic is a guaranteed box office titan.

Nolan Relied on a Specific, Groundbreaking Translation

While Hollywood has been adapting ancient myths for decades, Nolan anchored his vision to a very specific text. Although the director poured over multiple variations of Homer’s work, he was ultimately captivated by Emily Wilson’s groundbreaking translation from 2017. As the first woman to ever publish an English translation of “The Odyssey,” Wilson stripped away layers of antiquated Victorian romanticism and offered a fresh and accessible perspective. Indeed, Nolan leaned heavily into her nuanced interpretation to build his protagonist. Instead of a flawless, muscle-bound action hero, this version of Odysseus emphasizes his intellect, morals, and strategic mind, promising audiences a character-driven blockbuster that respects the ancient poetry while still feeling entirely modern.

What are you most looking forward to seeing in the movie? Let us know in the comments below!