Now the debut trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is out in the wild, age-old debates about “historical accuracy” have reemerged.
The Odyssey is officially described as a “mythic action epic,” an adaptation of Homer’s foundational saga, one of the major epics of ancient Greek literature, starring Hollywood heavyweights such as Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron.
Ever since we got our first look at Matt Damon as Odysseus, the heroic king of Ithaca, Nolan’s film has faced questions about its historical accuracy — or inaccuracy, as some have put it. With the debut trailer, below, we have our best look yet at The Odyssey’s adaptation of Homer’s great work, and more points of contention.
GreekReporter was quick to point out various historical inaccuracies — while praising the movie for getting some things right — in not just the armor but the ships we see in the trailer. The website picks through everything from the helmets the Greek soldiers wear to Agamemnon’s imposing, all black suit. As one commenter joked: “Had no idea Ancient Greeks used Batman helmets and sailed in Viking ships. Seriously, how hard is it to look at the picture of what the real thing looked like?”
(Christopher Nolan is of course the director of the much-loved The Dark Knight Trilogy.)
Added another: “I’m not asking for them to make it historically accurate, but it’s kind of jarring how it doesn’t even look vaguely like something set in ancient Greece. In fact, this looks more like something set in Scandinavia during the viking age. Why is everyone wearing pants? Why are they on viking style long-ships rather than triremes? And why is everyone wearing black armor, like they’re Batman or something?”
But does historical accuracy matter in a “mythic action epic?” In the trailer, we see what we believe to be the Cyclops, a giant, one-eyed monster, enter a cave in which Odysseus and his men are trapped. We see the dead rise from the ground to potentially attack Odysseus and his men. We’re expecting the movie to feature the deadly Sirens, enchanting bird-women whose irresistible songs lure sailors to their deaths on rocky shores. The Odyssey is a fantasy story with mythical creatures — it’s right there in the description (“mythic action epic”). Some argue that in this context, of course Nolan can and should take some creative liberties. This is not a documentary, after all.
This debate has moved on somewhat in the hours since the trailer’s release, with some complaining not about the historical accuracy of the armor we see the soldiers wear, but how natural the material looks. Agamemnon, played by Benny Safdie, is the focus of these complaints, with some saying his armor looks “flimsy” and “plastic.” One commenter said: “I think the issue people have isn’t really about historical accuracy and more about the costumes looking boring as s**t.”
this actually rules because agamemnon 100% would turn up to battle in a non-functional but cool looking helmet just to aura farm and then go home https://t.co/cW7ojVq8D3
— martha 𓊝 (@corduroycleric) December 22, 2025
“Nothing says Ancient Greece, quite like wearing black and brown,” said another. “Kinda crazy to wear those dark colors in one of the sunniest places in the world.” “It looks like a bunch of dudes cosplaying ancient Greece in Wales,” added one fan. “A little colour wouldn’t hurt you, Nolan,” said another.
The discourse around The Odyssey will no doubt continue up until its July 17, 2026 release date. Each new trailer and promotional shot will fuel fan excitement as well as the ongoing historical accuracy debate. But perhaps there’s a more pertinent question that is getting lost in the wake of the debut trailer’s release: how on earth is Christopher Nolan going to fit the entire story of The Odyssey in just one film?
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
