Fresh off of his first-ever Best Director recognition for “Oppenheimer” at the Academy Awards in 2024, Christopher Nolan has found his next project. Universal Pictures recently confirmed that Nolan’s next feature film will be an adaptation of Homer’s “The Odyssey,” an epic Greek poem from eighth century B.C.E. It is a Herculean task for any director — although it involves another Greek hero, Odysseus — but if anyone can accomplish such a feat, it is Nolan.
The story of “The Odyssey” follows Odysseus as he makes a long and treacherous voyage home to Ithaca following the Trojan War, and the poem’s development of the prototypical “hero’s journey” has made it one of the most influential texts in the history of Western literature. Developed with new IMAX technology and rumored to have a budget of $250 million, “The Odyssey” may just be Nolan’s most ambitious project yet.
With an all-star cast, including long-time Nolan collaborators, as well as A-list newcomers, the film is already receiving widespread buzz in the film industry. Confirmed actors working on the esteemed director’s project include Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, along with the recently-engaged Tom Holland and Zendaya.
With the film’s initial release date set for July 17, 2026, now seems like the perfect time to revisit some of the director’s best works to date, in preparation for his newest film.
“Memento” (2001)
“Memento” truly stands out as a unique film in Nolan’s catalog for its ability to construct a brilliantly developed plot and compelling characters on a very small budget and scale. On the strength of an excellent lead performance from Guy Pearce, Nolan traces the story of Leonard, a man suffering from anterograde amnesia. In this film, Nolan crafted a masterpiece of non-linear storytelling and artistic filmmaking, hinting at the directorial brilliance for which he would later come to be known.
The idea of creating a mystery-thriller told backwards is an incredibly bold task. The plot of the film is told entirely in reverse chronological order, subverting the viewer’s expectations as they experience the movie. At the same time, the spectator’s innate empathy for Leonard is tested as they are exposed to Nolan’s carefully orchestrated world. As more of the story becomes clear, they begin to question their established conceptions about Leonard and his past, transforming him into a morally gray, but ultimately tragic protagonist.
“Memento” was a landmark film for its time, putting Nolan on the map as a director with the first two of many Academy Award nominations for Nolan’s projects. It has also stood the test of time, remaining just as brilliant and revolutionary today as it was when it was released. And as Nolan turns his attention to “The Odyssey,” he will already be familiar with the story of a tragic hero, with Odysseus’ tale mirroring that of Leonard.
“The Dark Knight” (2008)
“The Dark Knight” is not only the pinnacle of Christopher Nolan’s “The Dark Knight” trilogy, but the pinnacle of his body of work at this point in time. From 2005 to 2012, Nolan released three Batman films starring Christian Bale as the Caped Crusader. This, the second of the three films, accomplishes feats of character development, technical filmmaking and acting expertise so incredible that it redefined Nolan’s trajectory as a director, the superhero movie genre and the character of Batman all at once.
The 2008 film is truly brilliant in its depiction of character, with the physical and ethical duel between Christian Bale’s Batman and Heath Ledger’s The Joker taking center stage. While Bale’s performance is excellent, it is Ledger who performs with an unmatched, visceral intensity, stealing the show entirely in his embodiment of the twisted mind of the notorious supervillain. Nolan evoked a deeply powerful performance from Ledger, one which led him to win the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.
While Nolan used some computer-generated effects, he largely relied on practical effects to capture incredible, breathtaking sequences that were explosive in more ways than one. From the dramatic practical effects to the intensely gripping story, all bolstered by stellar, evocative performances from a talented cast, “The Dark Knight” showcases all of the best traits of Christopher Nolan as a director. Between the masterful character development and the ethical questions at the heart of “The Dark Knight,” Nolan will surely look to replicate many of the same aspects of his 2008 masterpiece in his upcoming film.
“Inception” (2010)
“Inception,” Christopher Nolan’s 2010 subversive, inventive science-fiction heist movie, is in many ways a spiritual successor to “Memento.” In both films, Nolan utilizes non-linear storytelling techniques and creative production to depict fundamental aspects of the human condition. While Nolan toys with the idea of memory in “Memento,” “Inception” is based on the experience of dreaming.
Focusing on the story of a thief who can steal secrets from people while they are dreaming, the film’s premise is as creative as it is unique. With hyper-realistic sequences involving massive sets and enchanting visual effects, Nolan’s directorial vision immerses the spectator in dream-like scenes throughout the film. Utilizing this concept as a vessel for thematic expression, Nolan is able to convey a message about the power of imagination and resilience of the human spirit.
Nolan gathered yet another stellar cast for “Inception,” with stand-out performances from Leonardo DiCaprio, Cillian Murphy, Elliot Page, Marion Cotillard and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. “Inception” is truly a masterclass of brilliant filmmaking, incredible production and visionary storytelling, a film against which all future Nolan films will be held. Its surreal elements and grandiose creative vision will be elements upon which Nolan will hopefully look to expand in “The Odyssey.”
“Interstellar” (2014)
One of Christopher Nolan’s most popular and highest-grossing works to date is his 2014 science-fiction epic, “Interstellar.” The film follows the story of Cooper, a former NASA pilot-turned-farmer, played by the inimitable Matthew McConaughey, travelling through space and time in search of the solution to problems of famine and destitution faced by humanity on Earth.
With stellar supporting roles from Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway and a young Timothée Chalamet, as well as an iconic score from composer Hans Zimmer, “Interstellar” marked Nolan’s transformation from talented filmmaker to directorial legend.
Where “Interstellar” really shines is in its production and effects. In fact, the film received five nominations at the 87th Academy Awards, winning the Oscar for Best Visual Effects. While the story is not airtight and tends to drag, there is no doubt that “Interstellar” remains a culturally-significant marvel of technical filmmaking and storytelling prowess. Moreover, Nolan’s experience depicting a figure traversing incomprehensible levels of space and time in pursuit of his home is something that will lend itself well to his adaptation of “The Odyssey.”
“Dunkirk” (2017)
It is rare that any director can create a modern war film based around a completely original story and unique depiction of a historic conflict. It is even more rare that such a film can both prominently feature an iconic event — say, the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940 — and yet vividly depict the harrowing nature of war and the resilience of the human condition in a stylistic, maximalist manner. That is exactly what Nolan accomplished in his 2017 epic film, “Dunkirk.”
Following three separate groups of young men during the Battle of Dunkirk, Nolan manages to execute an equally creative and audacious vision for a modern war film. Relying on Academy Award-winning practical effects, a compelling script written by Nolan himself, and stellar acting performances from a talented array of young actors, “Dunkirk” manages to balance historical sensitivity and cinematic brilliance in its grand scope.
Transitioning from a single battle in World War II to the mythical Trojan War is no small task. However, Christopher Nolan has proven he has the directorial skill and craft to execute the story of Odysseus’s legendary battles.
Christopher Nolan’s career has spanned more than 25 years, with his films garnering countless awards and praise from critics and general audiences alike. He has proven to be one of the most creative, innovative and original voices working in Hollywood today.
Whether it is the depictions of war seen in films like “Dunkirk,” to character analyses of tragic heroes in films such as “Memento” and “Insomnia,” to large-scale practical effects in “Oppenheimer” and “The Dark Knight” Trilogy, Nolan has already proven he has the capabilities to adapt the necessary aspects of “The Odyssey.” And, as people revisit these Nolan’s career-defining films in anticipation of this next opus, excitement for “The Odyssey” is sure to keep building.
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