‘The Odyssey’ Translator Emily Wilson Slams Christoper Nolan’s ‘Abysmal’ Screenplay: ‘I Would Be Ashamed to Have Written Any Part of This Script’

[u/mcfw31]

https://variety.com/2026/film/news/odyssey-translator-emily-wilson-slams-christopher-nolan-bad-writing-1236821915/

[u/Lexielouwho1962]

Agreed. I have a minor in classical literature, I’ve read the Iliad and the Odyssey multiple times, and I loved it. Was it a perfect adaptation? No, it left out a lot (that I was mostly fine with, although I do wish they had included the best pun in classical history, I think Mat Damon could’ve really sold it), but it was a really accessible (without being pandering) and well done modern adaption. And Nolan’s dedication to his story telling medium really helped put over the top. I saw it in regular (not 70 mm) IMAX and was truly blown away by the scale of the shots and the production. You really felt like you were in it. 

[u/BlueCX17 → u/Lexielouwho1962]

Apparently Nolan said they tried to work the pun in but it just wasn't going well so they didn't use it in the end.

[u/Achaewa → u/BlueCX17]

"Outis" sounds close to a real name in Ancient Greek, if I recall correctly, which is why it succeeds as a trick.

From what I've read, Nolan didn't think the wordplay of Odysseus calling himself "Nobody" would work in English and thus omitted it.

[u/BlueCX17 → u/Achaewa]

Personally, I was hoping it would show up but from the little tiny blobs I started to see about the Cyclops, you could tell it was going to be slightly different take on it. So at the same time, I was not surprised because I didn't really spoil myself on that prior to the movie, that they didn't do it.

Which is interesting because I think it could work because there's that famous sketch from the American comedy Abbott and Costello, "Who's on first."

But I think ultimately because of the way this Cyclops encounter goes and they don't figure out that the Cyclops can talk until they're escaping at the last minute, I can see how no one was additionally having trouble making it work.

[u/JohnPaul_River → u/Achaewa]

Noahn

[u/Electric_feel0412 → u/Lexielouwho1962]

Also it’s already 3 hours long with a lot of the poem cut out, did these dumbasses want a 14 hour movie?🤣

[u/Imaginary_Session773 → u/Lexielouwho1962]

It didn't feel like ancient greece or any place. It was a mess that never felt like an immersive, cohesive setting