The Odyssey is already shaping up to be one of Christopher Nolan’s biggest films, but it could have been his first horror movie. The Odyssey has been shrouded in mystery, with few pH๏τos and a teaser available at the time of writing. Most of The Odyssey casting hasn’t been confirmed, leaving the exact tone of the film a mystery.

Given the subject matter, the expectation is that Christopher Nolan is finally venturing into an overtly fantastical direction. However, the plot of The Odyssey is perfectly suited for a scarier style of filmmaking, one that Nolan has mentioned his interest in. It’s a shame that the film might not seem to take that approach to become Nolan’s first horror movie.

The Odyssey Is Quietly A Very Scary Story (And Would Make For A Great Horror Movie)

The Odyssey would actually make for a pretty great horror movie, especially in the hands of a filmmaker like Christopher Nolan. While The Odyssey is often remembered most for its epic elements and overall themes regarding Odysseus’ long journey home after the Trojan War, his adventures could easily be presented more as horror than adventure.

The encounters with the man-eating Cyclops. Circe forces several of them through the body horror of being transformed into pigs. Odysseus’ quest takes him through the underworld, full of specters of the ᴅᴇᴀᴅ. The mᴀssive threats of Scylla and Charybdis, the allure of the Sirens, and even the relatively harmless Lotus-Eaters are all scary ideas.

Leaning into the monstrous qualities of those encounters would be an easy way to bristle against the “triumphant warriors” trying to make their way home. It’s an effective way to showcase how their skills in combat mean nothing when pitted against existential dreads and overwhelming forces of nature.

More than anything, the whims and furies of the Greek Pantheon would easily allow for some great scares, especially if the Gods operate from the sidelines or only appear in brief flashes of tremendous power and terrible majesty. The Gods were often terrifying in their appearances in myths, something a movie adaptation of The Odyssey could replicate to great effect.

All of these scenes could easily be fantastical, but leaning into the unsettling elements could make them unforgettably frightening. That’s a big part of the tension in The Odyssey, and it would make for a good movie. It would be a great way for The Odyssey to distinguish itself tonally from other fantasy epics. It’d also be perfect for Nolan.

Why Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Would Work Really Well As A Horror Movie

Christopher Nolan hasn’t directed a horror film yet, but not for lack of trying. Nolan has discussed an interest in directing a horror movie, noting that he hasn’t done it yet because he hasn’t found the right story. That interest in scary imagery and existential dread can be seen in his other films, even if they aren’t overt horror movies.

Nolan uses horror well in his films. The Dark Knight Trilogy uses Scarecrow and Joker as agents of chaos who terrify their victims. The inventions of Telsa in The Prestige, the tense confrontations of Insomnia, the confusion of Memento, even the majesty of the mindscape in Inception or the cosmos in Interstellar are presented with a touch of horror.

One of Nolan’s most grounded films, Oppenheimer, is a perfect example of how Nolan can infuse a touch of terror into his overall filmmaking approach. There’s the theoretical horror that Oppenheimer experiences about his actions, the visual signifiers of showing people disintegrated by an atom bomb, and even the banal cruelty of humans is quietly scary in the biopic.

Nolan may not have directed a horror movie yet, but he clearly has an eye for it. The Odyssey is also the director’s take on the fantasy genre, with the teaser depicting ancient Greece as the primary setting. Fusing the two genres together would be a delightful little twist on the epic, highlighting his adaptability as a filmmaker.

It’d also be a great way to make Nolan’s version of The Odyssey stand out from other adaptations and other iconic cinematic fantasy epics like the Lord of the Rings trilogy or the Harry Potter series. Fantasy and horror have always paired well. Leaning into the scarier elements of Odysseus’ journey could be a compelling way to approach the genre.

Nolan described horror movies as “films that have a lot of bleakness, a lot of abstraction” when discussing his interest in the horror genre. However, those comments suggest he still hasn’t found the horror movie he wants to make. The Odyssey does happen to have those elements, though, considering the fates of Odysseus’ crew and the presence of the Gods.

Nolan’s version of The Odyssey will likely feature at least some scares, given the subject matter and apparent gritty approach. However, fully committing to a horror approach could let Nolan knock out two genres at once in a compelling fusion. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey would make for a great horror story; he would just need to commit to it.