Some Viewers Are Critiquing Christopher Nolan's THE ODYSSEY for Historical Accuracy After the First Trailer's Release
Christopher Nolan is known for his larger than life films with massive stories and budgets to match, and he is taking his filmmaking to the next level with his adaptation of the epic 24-part poem by Homer, The Odyssey.
The classic tale was written over two thousand years ago, one of the earliest surviving works of Western literature, and it blends legendary tales, divine intervention, and human experiences, with some scholars suggesting geographical elements or social structures might reflect Bronze Age realities, but the fantastical adventures are fictional.
It has never been known as an historical document, and yet some viewers of the film’s first trailer are calling it out for historical accuracy.
The trailer finds Matt Damon’s Odysseus on his journey home aboard a ship with his crew. The casting and first looks at the characters has been generally welcomed by fans, however, a debate has kicked up online over the historical accuracy specifically focused on the armor that Odysseus and his Greek soldiers wear in the film.
Nolan seems to be going for a classic look in terms of how most people think of Greek soldiers, but many have criticized the fact that Nolan chose armor from further in the future than when The Odyssey would theoretically have happened.
But as much as there are haters, there are also folks happy to bring the complainers back down to reality.
With any film, and especially ones based on fiction, a suspension of disbelief is usually necessary to enjoy what a filmmaker is presenting, and I can’t wait to see Nolan’s latest.
The Odyssey’s star-studded cast includes Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee, Corey Hawkins, Josh Stewart, Jimmy Gonzales, and Maurice Compte.
The film opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.