The Odyssey 1997 and Nolan's 2026 remake contrast Odysseus

The 1997 film *The Odyssey* portrays Odysseus as an arrogant, defiant hero who openly challenges the gods, boasting of conquering Troy and relying on his wit to return to Ithaca. A memorable scene shows him confronting Poseidon on a cliff, declaring his disdain for divine power.

Christopher Nolan’s 2026 remake presents a very different Odysseus – a traumatized, amnesiac soldier who wanders in Calypso’s embrace, eating lotus flowers and unable to recall his past or family. The newer version emphasizes the psychological damage of war and a loss of the heroic certainty shown in the earlier film. Both movies follow the same mythic journey back to Ithaca but offer starkly opposed characterizations of the legendary Greek figure.