The Odyssey is quietly a perfect thematic follow-up to The Odyssey, despite their stark differences in subject matter. Following the mᴀssive success of Oppenheimer at both the box office and in the awards circuit, Christopher Nolan could have effectively made any film he wanted. Even then, embarking on a new adaptation of the legendary Greek epic of The Odyssey is a tall order, especially because it’s such a different story from the grounded biopic of Oppenheimer​​​​​​.

However, there’s actually a thematic connection between the stories that makes them quietly perfect companion pieces. Christopher Nolan has always rooted his films around a brilliant but flawed protagonist, a “great” man who nevertheless suffers from his human failings and the impact they have on the people around him. That theme was never clearer than in Oppenheimer‘s reflection on the тιтular scientist’s guilt over his creations, and it fits perfectly alongside The Odyssey‘s likely focus on an epic king brought low by hubris.

Oppenheimer And The Odyssey Are About Brilliant But Flawed Leaders

A clear thematic connection between The Odyssey and Oppenheimer‘s exploration of flawed “great men” makes the fantasy epic the perfect follow-up for Christopher Nolan after the success of Oppenheimer. Oppenheimer is rooted in an emotional exploration of the тιтular scientist, an unrivaled genius who struggles with his own inner failings and challenges.

In a similar manner, The Odyssey is a story about Odysseus, considered the most brilliant Greek leader during the Trojan War, who nevertheless suffers from hubris and a selfish nature. As a result, even his clever strategies are undone or found out, leading to woe for him and his crew as they try to return to Ithica.

Both stories highlight the best qualities of both men, celebrating them as grand leaders. However, neither story forgets the tragic reality that they are still men. Prone to moments of weakness and unintended sins, Odysseus and Oppenheimer both seek to raise up their countrymen in times of war. However, in doing so, they only steadily realize the weight of their actions.

Both characters share key characteristics with many of Christopher Nolan’s other protagonists, many of whom are clever men who nevertheless can’t escape their worst impulses and qualities. While Nolan’s films always portray their main characters as skilled and smart, they are also undone by their own choices and mistakes rather than just the actions of others.

Oppenheimer And The Odyssey Deal With Unforseen Consequences & Innocent Death

That common thematic arc between Oppenheimer and The Odyssey is something they share with plenty of other Nolan movies — but they also have a specific story beat in common that makes them natural companion pieces. In Oppenheimer and The Odyssey, a focus on unforeseen consequences highlights the cost of living and leading.

In Oppenheimer, the тιтular genius is steadily horrified by the potential ramifications of his work. One of the film’s most powerful scenes sees Oppenheimer at a patriotic celebration, suddenly imagining if the room was consumed in the atomic fire he helped bring into the world. This shatters much of his initial calm confidence, leaving the older Oppenheimer a shaken man.

The Odyssey may not have those global-level consequences, but the fate of Odysseus’ crew is a direct result of his own actions and failings. His bravado in the face of the monsters, witches, and Gods they encounter steadily gets his loyal crew picked off. By the end of his journey, Odysseus is left a hollow man, almost broken by his long journey and the cost it claimed.

Both characters suffer from the weight of their actions, steadily coming to see the cost of their choices through the bodies it leaves behind. While they may be people Odysseus sailed with and knew personally, Oppenheimer is wracked with guilt for the people killed by his work. Both stories focus on the guilt of these “great” men, making them interesting complementary works.

Oppenheimer And The Odyssey Both Deconstruct A Mythic Hero Archetype

Many of Christopher Nolan’s films explore these larger-than-life archetypes, undercutting their mystique as heroic police officers (Insomnia), brave space explorers (Interstellar), or vigilante superheroes (The Dark Knight trilogy) with deeply human failings. Oppenheimer and The Odyssey seem like ideal stories to continue that exploration, taken to the extreme.

Oppenheimer takes the brilliant genius and forces him to reckon with the human cost of his discoveries. In most tellings, The Odyssey highlights how a proud and brilliant king can be reduced to a wanderer who barely makes it back home alive. That makes it a natural fit for Nolan, and a fitting follow-up to Oppenheimer‘s heartbreaking story.

Given Nolan’s tendency to subvert his most nominally heroic characters, it’s exciting to see him take on something like The Odyssey. Even if he’s never made a full historical epic quite like this, the general arc of Odysseus in the story matches the kind of storytelling that’s always seemed to attract Nolan’s attention.

The Odyssey and Oppenheimer both seem to be rooted in the same general story, of a legendary type of hero (the fantastical king, the brilliant scientist) doing the impossible but realizing the painful cost of their hubris. It makes The Odyssey a quietly perfect follow-up to Oppenheimer despite their surface-level differences.