Written by Rowen Sullivan and Haley Garret, Staff Writers
While The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan and released on July 17, 2026, is expected to win many awards, it has met criticism on its accuracy from Homer’s ancient Greek epic.
The Odyssey’s music score is undisputedly unique and impressive. The Academy Award-Winning Swedish composer Ludwig Göransson dove into ancient source material in order to learn about the instruments used when The Odyssey took place, around 1200 BCE. In an interview, Göransson explained that “in order to create this completely original world . . . [he] had to get out of [his] comfort zone,” forgoing any orchestral or 19th century sounds, for something unfamiliar. He used ancient bronze gongs, lyres, and aulos to produce the musical arrangement that transported people from the leather seats of the movie theater into the scene before their eyes.
Although the casting was met with some outcry, people were generally impressed with the performances of Robert Pattinson, Antinous, and Samantha Morton, Circe. Previously known as Edward from Twilight, Pattinson’s conniving and manipulative act as the arrogant suitor improved his reputation.
Samantha Morton’s execution of the pig-transformation scene is even more extraordinary when it is revealed that no CGI was used and that she molded animatronics on camera. According to Variety Magazine, Morton’s act was the “embodiment of female rage.” Unfortunately, not every casting decision Director Christopher Nolan made was accepted with open arms.
Lupita Nyong’o is the fuel for the fire when speaking of the casting controversies in The Odyssey. Many viewers find their anger for this casting choice due to the fact that Helen of Troy is described as “white-armed” and “godlike.”
Critics believe that Nolan casted Nyong’o, an Oscar winner, for the awards. Mainly, people are upset due to the lack of Greek representation for a more diverse cast. “Some felt that picking a Black woman for the role was evidence of over-the-top wokeness.” From Aljazeera’s Why is Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey so controversial?
Elliot Page, a transgender man, had people wondering why Nolan would cast him for the role as Sinon, a soldier involved with the Trojan Horse trickery. Also, the casting choice of Travis Scott as an ancient Greek poet seemed pointless. “All I can do is make the best film I possibly can in the most sincere way. It’s very different from how anyone else would do it, but that’s what adaptation is.” Nolan’s response from Deadline.
Modern language is also a cause for conflict. When the character Telemachus, played by Tom Holland, started speaking contemporary English words like “dad,” it sparked discourse. Fans had an uproar due to the word choice. They questioned why Nolan wouldn’t use the term “father” instead.
In an article written by Variety, it states, “he wanted to prioritize ‘language that has emotional not intellectual meaning to people.” The last part was Nolan’s response when speaking to the Los Angeles Times. Nolan didn’t want to copy Homer’s original epic, instead, he wanted a more broad scale of people to enjoy it and understand what message was trying to be sent.
Despite the fact many people appreciated that Nolan used The Odyssey to make an anti-war critique, others do not like how Odysseus was portrayed as a regretful veteran instead of a crafty strategist. While Nolan could have intentionally used Odysseus’s character to raise awareness for those struggling with PTSD, some interpreted it as war-weariness, and ultimately, as weakness.
Although it is true that Helen of Troy had fair skin, Telemachus wouldn’t have said “dad,”i and Odysseus might not have been quite so regretful, it is also true that Christopher Nolan used an ancient tale to address modern circumstances and issues. Because The Odyssey film is an adaptation, room must be given for the director to have creative freedom even if it is not, word for word, the way Homer originally wrote it.