The Odyssey

by Christopher Nolan

The Odyssey: The Official Screenplay by Christopher Nolan

Sing, Muse, of the tale that has echoed through the centuries - a tale of the massive destruction of the towering walls of Troy; a tale of a father struggling to return to his wife, and a son searching for a father he never knew. Is he alive? Is he dead?

In The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan brings vividly to life a mythic world of Cyclops, of the transformation of men into pigs, of the Sirens luring ships to crash on the rocks. But it’s also the human story of a family defying the gods as they struggle to come together, separated by the surging seas.

192 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 4, 2026

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author in the GoodReads database with this name. See this thread for more information.

Christopher Jonathan James Nolan (born July 30, 1970) is a British-American film director, screenwriter and producer. He is known for writing and directing such critically acclaimed films as Memento (2000), the remake Insomnia (2002), the film adaptation The Prestige (2006), Inception (2010), and rebooting the Batman film franchise. The latter made him the second most commercially successful British director in recent years, behind David Yates. Nolan is the founder of the production company Syncopy Films.

He often collaborates with his wife, producer Emma Thomas, and his brother, screenwriter Jonathan Nolan, as well as cinematographer Wally Pfister, film editor Lee Smith, composers David Julyan and Hans Zimmer, special effects coordinator Chris Corbould, and actors Christian Bale and Michael Caine.

Nolan often casts the same actors in different films. Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Russ Fega, Cillian Murphy and Larry Holden are among his more frequent acting collaborators.

Nolan's wife Emma Thomas has produced most of his films, with the exception of Memento and Insomnia. Lee Smith has been Nolan's editor since Batman Begins, with Dody Dorn editing Memento and Insomnia. Wally Pfister has served as cinematographer for all of Nolan's films starting with Memento. David Julyan composed music for Following, Memento, Insomnia, and The Prestige, while Hans Zimmer provided music for Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, and Inception.

Reviews

[Alan (The Lone Librarian) Teder · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bare Bones Screenplay
A review of the Faber & Faber paperback (August 4, 2026) released simultaneously with the eBook.

I'll admit to a certain amount of bias in favour of director Christopher Nolan. He filmed part of Tenet (2020) in Estonia (the opening concert hall scene and the highway chase scene) and his Memento (2000) is the origin of my invented word Mementoize, used when I have to read a book backwards in order to finish it.

I saw The Odyssey in 70mm IMAX and was impressed enough that I sought out the screenplay in order to do a page to screen comparison. I will also admit that even though the movie was quite spectacular, it was sometimes difficult to see and hear everything that was going on. So not having the use of subtitles until later VOD release, a reading would have to do in the meantime.


Comparing viewing The Odyssey in 35mm vs 70mm IMAX. Images sourced from Movieweb.

Sometimes a screenplay book will offer some bonus features such as storyboards or film stills to complement the text. This English language edition of 180 pages offers none of that. I noticed that the Korean edition 오디세이 각본집 The Odyssey: The Official Screenplay at 268 pages does, so a point off for the English.

For a bonus view of images and film background you would have to turn to the more exclusive coffee-table sized Filming The Odyssey: Inside the Making of Christopher Nolan's Modern Epic.


One quirk that sometimes comes up with a screenplay reading is that some scenes as originally written may not have been filmed or may have been cut before the final release. I did not notice any missing scenes, but the escape from the cave of the Cyclops was different. Nolan's script has Odysseus and his men clinging to the bottom sides of the sheep in order to avoid detection as they are herded out of the cave (which would accord with Homer's original).

In the final film, the men cover their backs with rough straw and crawl on all-fours amongst the sheep so that the blinded Cyclops can not feel the difference between wool and straw. That was likely a practical decision during the filming as Nolan is famously known for wanting to limit the use of CGI in his films and creating giant CGI sheep that could carry the men was ruled out.

I still very much enjoyed the reading of this screenplay and understanding some of what I missed at my so-far single viewing of the film. The point off is only due to the lack of bonus features.

Trivia and Links
Mark's review of Filming The Odyssey: Inside the Making of Christopher Nolan's Modern Epic includes several images from the book's layout. You can see those here.

I included some quotes and film stills or Odyssey images in my status updates for this book. You can see those below if you are reading in GR or here if you are reading outside of GR.

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

This 5 stars comes as a shock to no one. The way Nolan intended. I think the script for the Odyssey was very powerful and written beautifully. I annotated tf out of this thing and memorable mentions include:
The way bronze is always capitalised to direct importance to how it’s portrayed on screen
The portrayal of the gods in sounds and natural elements
How man’s suffering is his real plight, not his battle against the gods but rather the battle against himself

[Andrew Eastman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christopher Nolan receives a lot of (deserved) praise for his direction and scale. However, after reading his script of The Odyssey, his writing should be commended more for focusing his masterful technique into something powerful and timely. I was fascinated seeing how accurate his descriptions, moods, and beats directly translated into the finished film. You can tell that he is in command of this story—even in the earliest stages.

While I think Oppenheimer or The Prestige are probably his best screenplays (although Dunkirk is my favorite film of his), reading The Odyssey’s script was really insightful as to why the film worked so well. I’m excited to see where his career takes him next!

[Keith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Yeah I'm obsessed.

It's amazing how rhythmically Nolan weaves and layers motifs (Zeus's law especially) throughout his story. Also the structure is practically formulaic. Usually I can keep time when watching a movie, but The Odyssey flows so incredibly that the only timing I was certain of was that Odysseus returning home marked the third act. But upon reading the script, I was impressed to realize that 1) we first see present-day Odysseus at the 30-minute mark , and 2) the Hades sequence is the exact midpoint of the movie. If you're looking at the Hero's journey circle arc, that means that the lowest point on the circle takes place in Hell, and I'll eat that up.

[Salman · Rating 5 out of 5]

"10 years of rage all happening in one night"

[Elyse Kim · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clawing my way out of a massive reading slump with The Odyssey screenplay 🤝🤝

[Armaan Verma · Rating 4 out of 5]

A face!
BANG!
A fleet!
BANG!
A war!
BANG!
A man!
BANG!
A thought!
BANG!
A trick!
BANG!
A trick to break the walls of Troy!

Lowkey he could’ve stopped at “a war”

[A J · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now we can read not just see

Now we can read not just see, analyse and understand what Nolan gave us.
Nolan's The Odyssey should simply not have the Odyssey in its title. It is in Homer's cloths, but the movie is not what Homer and other classic texts gave us.
My own assessment of the movie now aided by the text has been quite fluid - some the early thoughts are on the most obvious/blatant observables.
There is a genuine need to explore how Homer and Nolan and others have addressed the trauma of war. AND in the middle some thoughts on how over the millennia Homer and the classics have been "used" as part of a culture and philosophical wars. We have been in one certainly for at least 15-20 years and it certainly heated up with the Wilson Translations and Miller's Circe. I wonder which was more shocking to society Samuel Butlers 1987 narrative assertion and then his 1900 translation OR Emily's translation. Certainly both caused ire and much fun.
Nolan did not get anything wrong - he delivered to us precisely what he wanted to. He / his team clearly deliberately managed the deceptive and distracting lead-up to my seeing it, which I have done 3 times, to create a furor. Did all he used as his pawns know what they were being used for? Did Nolan write himself into his own movie as Odysseus. To the point at which one just has to ask Sir Christopher are you OK.
I am still fluid about whether or not I think what he did was for the good. Claims it is just ART ignore the social impact such a huge statement piece has - particularly at this time, after 15 years of movies and TV shows appearing to deliberately devalue and destroy male heroic culture. Now they go after the originals. The original IP.
Nolan, a self confessed lapsed Catholic, went beyond Christian and any translation (including Wilson) of the classics. Nolan took the skeleton of the classics and draws almost entirely from Madeline Miller, to deliver a successor to his Oppenheimer movie. If his Oppenheimer movie is his Iliad, then this movie is Oppenheimers' Odyssey like successor. With Odysseus playing the guilt racked Oppenheimer.
I am sure the text is accurate - we each can read and see, and assess.

[Fern · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have plenty criticism for Nolan’s Odyssey but can’t deny it was a brilliant film to watch, reading the screenplay helped with identifying the crew, Polites death being by Scylla rather than the cyclops, and Elpenor being the one to die at the cyclops hand was an unnecessary change. I know Athena is up to your own interpretation on whether Odysseus sees her or if it is actually the priestess he’s hallucinating, I’m interpreting it as Athena appearing to Odysseus as her priestess that was murdered as a form of torment to Odysseus, maybe just because I struggle with the lack of Gods in this adaptation. I enjoyed the screenplay just as much as I enjoyed the movie and getting to experience it in this format helped with some of the struggles I experienced with the movie. Overall, I enjoyed it for what it is, for its depiction of The Odyssey even though it strayed from the source plenty.

[anastasia rgmrts · Rating 5 out of 5]

marked my 12th rewatch while reading the screenplay. it’s honestly hard to say whether it is good or not because it’s basically first screenplay I ever read fully but I’ll stick with five stars because I had goosebumps exactly the same scenes I had during the film
unexpectedly it became my soulmate and I’m glad I gave an anchor to keep me sane and grounded during the hard times

biggest thanks ever to Nolan here! we keep art alive and keep going no matter what

[Chandradhika P Atletico · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

Such an easy read, especially if you’ve already watched the movie. Reading it in script (official complete screenplay) format was a pretty interesting experience, though it took me a little while to get into it. Having seen the movie beforehand definitely helped me visualize everything, and once I got familiar with the flow, I flew through the pages. Twang! Now I kinda wanna rewatch it in theaters🫣

[Zachary Isaac · Rating 5 out of 5]

there’s something really satisfying about reading a screenplay after seeing the finished film. I love seeing how nolan puts all these massive ideas onto the page so simply, knowing what they eventually become on screen. he knows how to make something feel enormous without writing it like it’s enormous.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw this movie 5 times at the cinema. The dialogue is honestly one of my favorite things about this movie. It was fun to see the differences on what was written and the final product on screen. I was more surprised to see what wasn't on the page. Lots of visual moments that weren't written. That said I enjoyed the characters and what they spoke.

[Wreeding · Rating 5 out of 5]

im kind of obsessed by the movie (kind of? when i've watched it seven times) and i had ti grab the screenplay. i do wish it was hardbound with a nicer cover, but hopefully they release a deluxe version. i've always loved anachronisms so this was perfectly catered to me and i find plenty of poetry between the pages. i will be going on my eighth rewatch with the script in my hand!

[Quinn Kinsella · Rating 5 out of 5]

How do you adapt an age-old story that's dictated how storytelling has been told for the last two dozen centuries and make it feel fresh? Christopher Nolan was able to do this with the screenplay for The Odyssey. A sweeping, grand piece that also feels personal and intimate.

[Ray · Rating 4 out of 5]

Took me longer than it should of. This was my first time reading a proper screenplay, and I really enjoyed it. I did my best to mark up lines and action cues that the actors changed, but I'll definitely pick up more when I rewatch the movie.

[tamaaluk · Rating 5 out of 5]

A masterpiece of storytelling, to the extent that even without the movie's mind-blowing visuals, you still feel the immense awe and excitement when reading. Nolan has created a modern retelling which celebrates and challenges aspects of masculinity while being an overall engaging tale

[True · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read through the whole script while listening to Ludwig’s score and that was a great experience. Felt like I got even more out of the film as a piece of work. Amazing.

[Kason Culley · Rating 5 out of 5]

“We lived in a world of palaces and trade and language… blind to its beauty until we broke it.”

[veronica · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gorgeous. Loved seeing the changes between the script and the final edit. Minimal but still interesting. I love this movie.

[Vasile · Rating 4 out of 5]

Some original writing mixed with Homer’s text. Great script and movie

[Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now we can read not just see, analyse and understand what Nolan gave us.
I am sure the text is accurate - we each can read and see, and assess. But perhaps what was shown in the movie is a little different.
Nolan's The Odyssey should simply not have the Odyssey in its title. It is in Homer's cloths, but the movie is not what Homer and other classic texts gave us.
My own assessment of the movie now aided by the text has been quite fluid - some the early thoughts are on the most obvious/blatant observables.
There is a genuine need to explore how Homer and Nolan and others have addressed the trauma of war. AND in the middle some thoughts on how over the millennia Homer and the classics have been "used" as part of a culture and philosophical wars. We have been in one certainly for at least 15-20 years and it certainly heated up with the Wilson Translations and Miller's Circe. I wonder which was more shocking to society Samuel Butlers 1987 narrative assertion and then his 1900 translation OR Emily's translation. Certainly both caused ire and much fun.
Nolan did not get anything wrong - he delivered to us precisely what he wanted to. He / his team clearly deliberately managed the deceptive and distracting lead-up to my seeing it, which I have done 3 times, to create a furor. Did all he used as his pawns know what they were being used for? Did Nolan write himself into his own movie as Odysseus. To the point at which one just has to ask Sir Christopher are you OK.
I am still fluid about whether or not I think what he did was for the good. Claims it is just ART ignore the social impact such a huge statement piece has - particularly at this time, after 15 years of movies and TV shows appearing to deliberately devalue and destroy male heroic culture. Now they go after the originals. The original IP.
Nolan, a self confessed lapsed Catholic, went beyond Christian and any translation (including Wilson) of the classics. Nolan took the skeleton of the classics and draws almost entirely from Madeline Miller, to deliver a successor to his Oppenheimer movie. If his Oppenheimer movie is his Iliad, then this movie is Oppenheimers' Odyssey like successor. With Odysseus playing the guilt racked Oppenheimer.
Take Nolan's version as his - blame not the sources he used - Nolan had a plan and implemented it.

[Matt · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read in one go listening to The Odyssey soundtrack. It's surprising to learn what were ad libs in the film but asides from that, the book does not offer much. I would have liked a foreword or introduction, like how we got with the Oppenheimer screenplay. Some storyboards might also have been nice so the fact that there is nothing to the book other than the screenplay to a five star masterpiece is why this review is four stars.