The Greek prime minister called Christpher Nolan to personally congratulate him for The Odyssey, which he said has boosted interest in ancient Greek culture.
Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis spoke to Nolan on Monday afternoon via video call, congratulating him for his adaptation of the Homeric epic poem and thanking him for the film’s contribution to “stimulating global interest in ancient Greek culture,” a press release from the PM’s office reads. The note added that “such productions bridge Greece’s rich cultural heritage with contemporary creativity.”
Mitsotakis also spoke about The Odyssey’s huge box office success, and “expressed his appreciation for the fact that a significant part of the filming took place in Greece.” Parts of the movie were shot in the Peloponnese region of Greece, including Voidokilia Beach, the 13th-century Methoni Castle, the monolithic Acrocorinth overlooking the city of Corinth, Almyrolaka Beach, and Nestor’s Cave.
Mitsotakis’ conversation with Nolan comes hot on the heels of a scathing review of The Odyssey by Greek translator and University of Pennsylvania professor Emily Wilson, who called Nolan’s film a “confused” and “abysmal” adaptation of Homer’s text.
The Odyssey is a smash hit with critics and on course to make over $1 billion at the global box office, but some have questioned changes made by Nolan for his adaptation of Homer’s epic poem.
Warning! Spoilers for The Odyssey follow:
Wilson, who is behind the 2017 translation of The Odyssey that Nolan reportedly credited with inspiring his take on the poem, has questioned the absence of the gods Zeus and Poseidon in the movie, and called the film’s anti-war and anti-cowardice message “incoherent.” She was also critical of Anne Hathaway’s Penelope, saying the role was so reduced it endangered “any possibility of believing in this marriage.” Neither did she like the scenes with Odysseus’ dog, Argos, which she said “catered towards modern sentimentality.” Overall, Wilson said she thought Nolan “was trying to pack everything in while missing themes that were essential to the poem.”
In a recent interview with Time Magazine, Nolan explained some of his changes around Helen of Troy, Athena, and his new ending — although he still left much to audience interpretation.
Last week, Elon Musk claimed that Grok would make an AI movie of The Odyssey “that is historically accurate and true to the art of Homer,” by the end of 2026, although he did not make any claim about whether it would be any good.
Musk’s comment came as little surprise, given the X and Tesla owner was a vocal critic of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey in the run up to its release in theaters. Much of the online backlash, such as it is, revolved around conservative complaints that Nolan’s The Odyssey would be “woke” for starring transgender actor Elliot Page (Sinon), rapper Travis Scott (the Bard), and black actress Lupita Nyong’o (Helen of Troy and her sister, Clytemnestra).
“This is a mythological story,” Nyong’o said in May. “I’m very supportive of Chris’ intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling. Our cast is representative of the world. I’m not spending my time thinking of a defense. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not.”
She added: “It’s quite something to be a part of The Odyssey, because it is so grand. It spans worlds. So that’s why the cast is what it is. We’re occupying the epic narrative of our time.”
Ahead of release, The Odyssey was debated across the internet for its casting choices, some of its armor design, and the decision to have its characters speak with contemporary dialogue and in mostly modern American accents.
Prof Daniel Mendelsohn, whose translation of Homer’s poem was published last year, said at the UK’s Hay Festival in May that he was amused by “all of these bros suddenly worrying about Greek literature”. According to a report in The Telegraph, Mendelsohn said: “What’s so funny is that Helen has the tiniest role in The Odyssey… so the debate is particularly silly.”
Image credit: Greek Prime Minister’s office.
Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at [email protected] or confidentially at [email protected].
