A First Look at The Odyssey Teaser

My initial thoughts on the film from the newly released teaser

Well it’s been quite a week for fans of Homer, after they released the first poster for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of the Odyssey and then quickly followed it up with a teaser trailer showing in selected cinemas. At just over a minute long, it’s a good glimpse not only at the content of the film but also the style and the tone. As a fan both of cinema and ancient literature, I have to say that I was excited after watching this for a number of reasons, so I thought I would explain why and go over some of the smaller details in the trailer others might have missed.

Note - this article will become available for free subscribers on 7/7/25

Non-Linear Structure

When I learned that Nolan would be directing this adaptation, I had high hopes - not just because he makes big expensive films, but rather that he has shown a talent for non-linear storytelling in many of his works. Memento, Interstellar, Tenet all play around with the concept of time in storytelling - and this is one of the more important aspects of the Odyssey.

Given the origins of epic poetry in oral storytelling, it’s a key element of the genre that the tale can pick up at any point and jump around, flashing back and going into detail over a small item or place. The Odyssey is a great example of this, as it begins near the chronological ending of the tale, but spends a large portion looking back on the preceding adventures. This structure lends a lot of the unique character to the story, but many adaptations have simply resorted to telling it in a straight-forward linear way, for ease of understanding. So if anyone could pull off a more genuine adaptation, it would be Nolan.

As a result, I had been eagerly awaiting some suggestion that this new Odyssey would follow the Homeric structure more closely, and there were several signs in the teaser trailer that this may yet be the case. From the outset, the focus is on the state of things in the final year of the story - Odysseus is long gone, believed dead, and Telemachus has gone to find out where he may be. In my view, this is a very clear indication that Nolan is once again employing his non-linear skills in assembling this story.

The Telemachy

A large part of the trailer focuses on Tom Holland’s Telemachus visiting Sparta to see Menelaus, played by Jon Bernthal. This is from the beginning of the Odyssey, a part referred to as the Telemachy since it focuses on his exploits rather than his father Odysseus’. It’s a good sign to see it included so prevalently, as it’s part of the story other directors could easily leave out - it doesn’t even feature the main character and doesn’t necessarily further the ‘main story’ in the eyes of many.

What we do see, however, is Nolan using this as an opportunity to delve into all these characters. Menelaus’ tone in responding to questions about Odysseus suggests a complex and difficult relationship that is anything but two-dimensional. Again, it could be easy to cast these off as cameos, but the mood of the conversation certainly suggests a deeper exploration of all involved.

Furthermore, it’s thrilling to catch a glimpse of Lupita Nyong’o in the background, which seems to suggest she will be playing Helen, Menelaus’ wife. I think she’s a fantastic choice for the part, as Helen in the Odyssey is a uniquely complex figure. No longer simply the object of desire, she is far more interesting in this tale - and no doubt Nolan is going to make the most of this with a supremely talented actor. I’m looking forward to seeing what she does with the role, though I’m much less excited to imagine the vitriol that will no doubt come from a person of colour being cast in the role. I couldn’t care less, to be honest, and I know she will do a fantastic job. Anyone who gets up in arms about it will be showing their true colours in truth.

Xenia

If you’ve ever read the Odyssey, you’ll know how prominently the theme of hospitality or guest-friendship is throughout the work. The Greeks called this xenia and it underpins all the interactions between the various characters we see. Homer uses these interactions to tell us how we should feel about characters. The suitors, for example, flaunt the rules of xenia and are justly punished for it; while the Phaeacians are generous hosts and are considered the good guys in the story. I will be discussing this in much greater detail in my upcoming analysis of Book 1, so keep an eye out for it.

Nolan is known for exploring complex themes even in his less serious works. The Dark Knight trilogy is a pertinent example, where he takes the substantial themes of the comics and explores these, with the fantastical world as more of a backdrop. In this way, I’d hoped that we would see a similar recognition of xenia in the movie and again, there are positive signs.

In the opening monologue, we hear an unseen character talking about a “kingdom without a king, since my master died” and “Zeus’ laws smashed to pieces.” This seems to place the speaker on Ithaca, as one of Odysseus’ loyal servants - perhaps the swineherd Eumaeus - commenting on the lack of respect for xenia by the suitors. We know that xenia was sacred to Zeus, as Odysseus himself goes to great lengths to explain (fruitlessly) to Polyphemus in Book 9. So if my suspicions are correct, there could well be a strong focus on the breaking of these laws and conventions when the attention turns to the suitors, and perhaps elsewhere too.

Final Impressions

The visuals of the teaser, though limited, are intriguing. Sweeping scenes of Odysseus’ raft upon the ocean, the Trojan horse abandoned on the beach and the soldiers marching through the torch light in Troy - they all suggest a visually stunning film, as we have come to expect from the IMAX-obsessed director. The things that will annoy some people - bland armour, odd ships and anachronous accents - are probably concessions we can live with in exchange for a film that captures the heart of Homer’s work. And I can honestly say I can’t wait to see it!

Let me know if you’ve seen it and have thoughts, or if you have any questions or comments about the upcoming adventure. See you next time!