Christopher Nolan’s next big hit,The Odyssey, comes next year, and it’s certain to be a gigantic success. With a cast as stacked as this one, this film has a huge chance at potentially being the film of the decade.The classic tale first written by Homer, a famous Greek poet, has been adapted a few timessince its release all the way back in 8th Century B.C.Shot exclusively on IMAX, Nolan is once again pushing the boundaries of his filmmaking to bring something truly special to the screen.
Nolan is going all out for this film, building a giant animatronic cyclops, the Trojan Horse itself, and filming in real and accurate locations.The Odysseyis sure to be the best adaptation of the story, but it’s not the only one.BeforeThe Odysseycomes out on July 17th, 2026, some may want to experience the adaptations of the story that have come before Nolan’s.There are six primary adaptations (and numerous that simply take major inspiration from it), and it’s very interesting to see how different creatives have taken the reins over the years.
6’Ulysses: A Dark Odyssey' (2018)
Just because the original story is good doesn’t mean that an adaptation is immediately going to be anything worth writing home about.Ulysses: A Dark Odysseyis a dark (pun intended) adaptation of the story that followsa soldier who returns from war with amnesia, only to find that his wife, Penelope (Anamaria Marinca), whom he somehow remembers, is missing. He must wade through Taurus City in the United States of Europe to find her.
Ulysses: A Dark Odysseyis a sad case of a movie simply having seemingly nothing great about it. The acting is rough, the editing is jarring,the cinematography is alright, and the screenplay overall is of poor quality. What is so disappointing about this is thatthe concept ofUlysses: A Dark Odysseyhas a lot of potential within it, but it never seems to deliver on its promise and potential. When a movie can’t live up to its potential greatness, it makes the bad parts of the film feel even worse at the end of the day, and, unfortunately, that is the case withUlysses: A Dark Odyssey.
5’The Odyssey' (1992)
1992’sThe Odysseyis an interesting adaptation that toes the line between a true adaptation and a series that just takes inspiration from the original story.The Odysseyis close enough that it can be considered an adaptation, though—it’s just a little different. When the youngJay Ziegler (Illya Woloshyn) falls into a coma, he enters a dream world wherehe must go on an epic journey(following the structure of the original story) to get back to the real world and escape the mystical “Downworld”(get it? Almost like it’s an “under” world). It’s a youthful and lighthearted journey that lasted a whole three seasons for people to enjoy and get connected to.
The original by Homer is definitely not for the faint of heart, but 1992’sThe Odysseyis built for a wider audience. Kids can watch this version, created byWarren EastonandPaul Vitols, and get to experience this amazing story that has been beloved for so many decades, which makes it a pretty special adaptation. It is also a television series, which is a recurring trend for adaptations of “The Odyssey”. This one finds itself being far longer than any of the others, though, which means thatthe characters here have plenty of time to be developedand—since it’s one of the more different adaptations—switch up story moments and take their own twist on them (while still keeping true to how the original plot had played out).
4’Ulysses' (1954)
Despite being calledUlysses,this adaptation is pretty much a one-to-oneof Homer’s original epic. Being made in 1954, this movie may visually be pretty dated, butthe time in which it was made actually helps the vibe of the project feel accurate to “The Odyssey”. With the story being so old, having a film that is from the ’50s makes it feel like it too was crafted quite long ago and helps acquire that air of ancient feeling, which adds a lot to the production. There’s nothing like an old Greek tale being portrayed with a quality that looks just as ancient as the story itself.
Ulysses, as stated, is very accurate, and that makes it an interesting thing to watch. It has that feeling of accuracy—knowing that what you’re watching is the true tale—but also lacks what some others have in that it doesn’t have a particular aspect that sets it apart from others, aside from being a one-to-one. Maybe one could say that the protagonist being called Ulysses (Kirk Douglas) instead of Odysseus could set it apart. However, having something like a new setting or plot device helps a product feel a lot more memorable in comparison to others that are doing incredibly similar things. So, while it has accuracy on its side, it can feel less memorable than other iterations of “The Odyssey”, even if it may be of better quality.
3’The Odyssey' (1997)
Homer’s tale is a long one, being divided into 24 “books” (chapters), to tell the tale of Odysseus. It’s a long one—causing some to speculate that Nolan’s film will push three hours—soit can be hard to adapt such a lengthy story to one film. 1997’sThe Odysseyavoids this potential issue by making itselfinto a television miniseries. In this project, the main character is actually called Odysseus (Armand Assante), and it is just as one-to-one, if not more so, thanUlysses.
The use of practical effects here helps sell everything on screen,which is a huge accomplishment for a 1997 miniseries, given the fact that creatures like a cyclops, the deadly Scylla, and other mythical Greek creatures are at play. DirectorAndrei Konchalovskymanages to pull off a very coherent iteration of “The Odyssey”, which is no small feat for the time it was made and the budget. It is an example of Konchalovsky’s skill as a director (who’s still directing films to this day), andmarksThe Odysseyin history as an incredible adaptationthat modern book adaptations should look to as an example.
2’Odissea' (1968)
If there is an adaptation of “The Odyssey” that was far ahead of its time and all-around known as pretty stellar, it’sOdissea. DirectorsFranco Rossi,Mario Bava, andPiero Schivazappaabsolutely nailed what a recreation of the story must be when translated to film.Brought into the world’s eyesas a miniseries,Odisseaseparates itself from the other episodic installments in the long line of “The Odyssey” adaptationsby having more than two to four episodes.Odisseaconsists ofeight full-length television episodes, with each covering a major part of the plot.
Having eight episodes of television to cover such an expansive topic like this givesOdisseathe perfect opportunity to be one of the best adaptations of “The Odyssey” period.The multiple episodes give the writers and directors more time to sit in moments and take the time needed to make sure all of these sequences and plot points are as effective as they need to be in order to sufficiently tell the story. Being made in Europe, the locations they filmed at also feel very accurate to where “The Odyssey” takes place. This makesOdisseafeel on the mark not just in terms of story, but visually, as well.
1’The Return' (2024)
The most recent project to cover “The Odyssey” comes in the form ofThe Return, starringRalph Fiennes,Juliette Binoche, andCharlie Plummer. It’s a wonder how on Earth this movie passed under the radar, especially due to the fact that the one and only Ralph Fiennes plays the legendary Odysseus. DirectorUberto Pasolinidid a phenomenal job bringing the climax of “The Odyssey” to life. That’s right, the entirety ofThe Return’s runtime is spent during the time in whichOdysseus has made it home and is pretending to be a suitorto win his wife back and kill the other men trying to take her. This is also one of the only retellings that actually remembers Odysseus' dog that waited at home for him so he could die having seen his master (a pretty heartfelt/heartbreaking moment from the original story).
Makingthe entire movie just this last act of the storymeans that Uberto Pasolini got all the time in the world to make sure that this moment is represented as best as possible in comparison to the book. The absolute legend that isRalph Fiennes completely owns the screenfor the entire runtime. He makes a borderline-perfect aged Odysseus, and that helps audiences invest in him more. He was in great shape for the role and clearly invested a lot of time into the preparation of it—obviously caring a lot about making surehe pulled it off in a manner that honored the character and Homer’s legend. Having not just a cast member who cares this much, but an entire cast and crew combined that do, and have love for the story, makes for a product that is extremely faithful,beloved, and enjoyable for fans and critics alike.
The Return
After 20 years away, a weary warrior returns to his homeland of Ithaca, only to find his kingdom in disarray and his wife besieged by suitors. This retelling of the classic myth explores the hero’s journey to reclaim his home, confront the changes in his absence, and restore order amidst the upheaval. Themes of loyalty, perseverance, and the impact of time shape this powerful reimagining of Homer’s “Odyssey.”
