Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" opens in cinemas – scholar praises the film but criticizes its length

Ancient historian Raimund Schulze, who teaches at Bielefeld University and recently published the book "Odysseus – Myth and Truth," saw the film in advance and gave WDR an interview. Schulze's overall assessment is positive, but he expresses reservations regarding the runtime: "Overall, the result is very impressive, even if after three hours it becomes rather exhausting for viewers like me."

Expert assessment by an ancient historian

In terms of content, Schulze describes Nolan's Odysseus as a hero without a halo. "He is not a shining hero. He makes mistakes, and at times is very selfish." The historian particularly emphasizes that the film portrays the hero's war trauma in a way that feels modern rather than Homeric. "This isn't Homeric – it's modern. Homer did not doubt that war and conquest were part of a hero's life."

According to Schulze, Nolan largely adheres to the classical narrative structure with multiple timelines and flashbacks, but deviates from the literary source in several places. Homer's "Odyssey," alongside the "Iliad," is considered one of the oldest and most influential works of Western literature and was likely composed in the 7th or 8th century BC.

Casting debate

The casting sparked discussion even before the film's release. Kenyan actress Lupita Nyong'o, who won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress in 2014 for "12 Years a Slave" and subsequently turned down further slave roles, plays two sisters connected to the Trojan War in the film. She defends the casting by pointing to the mythological nature of the story: "This is a mythological story, not a historical document. I fully support Chris' vision. Our cast reflects the diversity of the world."

Public criticism of the casting was fueled in part by Elon Musk. In the United States, Nyong'o is, alongside Charlize Theron, who also appears in "The Odyssey," one of the Oscar-winning actresses of African heritage. Nyong'o, who was born in Mexico City and holds Kenyan as well as another citizenship, is, by her own account, personally affected and advocates for awareness of uterine conditions, serves as the face of the fashion brand Lancôme, and published the children's book "Sulwe."

Matt Damon pushed to his limits

Lead actor Matt Damon said he prepared intensively for the role and physically pushed himself to his limits. "For Nolan's 'Odyssey,' Matt Damon pushed himself physically to his limits," reports the WDR piece. Among the reasons, Damon explained that he would never repeat a particular activity for a role because it was too dangerous: "But one thing he never wants to do again for a role, because it's too dangerous."

Christopher Nolan only won seven Oscars in 2024 with "Oppenheimer." With "The Odyssey," he is now tackling material that was already part of the canonical narratives in antiquity. Helen of Troy is described in mythology as the woman "whose face launched a thousand ships" – a motif that, in the new adaptation, receives a prominent dual-role treatment with Nyong'o.

The theatrical release falls right in the middle of the summer holidays in North Rhine-Westphalia. As a result, smaller IMAX locations such as Dortmund, Oberhausen, Düsseldorf, Bochum and Bad Oeynhausen could draw larger audiences, even though they cannot show the ideal image format. Whether Nolan's experimental IMAX technology and the three-hour runtime will resonate with audiences will become clear in the coming weeks based on box office results.

The WDR piece by Marian Wilhelm was published on July 16, 2026, at 05:03 on WDR.de and places Nolan's work both in film history and within the ancient literary tradition. It makes clear that "The Odyssey" should be understood less as a mere re-adaptation of a classic and more as an independent interpretation that connects the ancient material with modern questions.