The Odyssey & The Iliad: Read the Original Before Nolan's Film
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey hits theatres on July 17, 2026 — and if the response to his previous films is anything to go by, it's going to be one of the biggest cinema events of the year. Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as his son Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, and Zendaya as the goddess Athena, it's an adaptation of one of the oldest and greatest stories ever told.
But here's something worth knowing before you walk into that theatre: the story is even richer, stranger, and more epic than any film can fully capture. And the best way to experience it first — or revisit it after — is through the comic book adaptations available right now at Comic Bazooka.
What is The Odyssey?
The Odyssey is an ancient Greek epic poem attributed to Homer, believed to have been composed around 750–650 BC. It follows Odysseus — King of Ithaca and one of the heroes of the Trojan War — on his ten-year journey home after the fall of Troy. What should be a straightforward voyage becomes an extraordinary ordeal: encounters with the one-eyed Cyclops Polyphemus, the witch-goddess Circe who turns men into pigs, the land of the dead, the singing Sirens, the six-headed monster Scylla, and the wrath of the god Poseidon who pursues Odysseus across every sea.
Back in Ithaca, his wife Penelope waits faithfully, fending off dozens of arrogant suitors who assume Odysseus is dead and compete to take his place. His son Telemachus — played by Tom Holland in Nolan's film — sets out on his own journey to find news of his father. The two threads weave together toward one of the most satisfying endings in all of literature.
Our Odyssey comic book adapts this epic into a vivid, accessible illustrated format — perfect for reading before the film or giving to a young reader who wants to know the story.
What is The Iliad — and why does it matter here?
The Iliad is Homer's other great epic — the story that comes before The Odyssey. Where The Odyssey is a journey home, The Iliad is a war story: the siege of Troy, the rage of Achilles, the duel between Hector and Ajax, and the famous Trojan Horse. Odysseus himself is a significant character in The Iliad, and understanding the Trojan War gives Nolan's film enormous additional depth.
Nolan has spoken about wanting to make the most extreme version of the story possible. The prologue of his film — already screened before Avatar: Fire and Ash in theatres — reportedly opens with the Trojan Horse sequence. That's The Iliad. Reading both stories gives you the full picture of who Odysseus is and why his journey home carries such weight.
Our Iliad comic book covers the Trojan War in the same illustrated format as the Odyssey — buy both together for the complete story of Homer's world.
Why read the comic before seeing the film?
Nolan's films reward audiences who bring knowledge to the cinema. Oppenheimer hit differently if you knew the history. The Odyssey will be the same. Knowing who Penelope is and what she represents, understanding the significance of Ithaca, recognising the monsters and gods Odysseus encounters — all of it adds layers to what you see on screen.
The comic format is also the fastest way to absorb the story. The Odyssey and Iliad are long poems in their original forms. The comic adaptations distil the essential narrative into something you can read in an evening, illustrated with enough visual flair to make the mythology come alive before Nolan's version does.
The Nolan film — what we know
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey releases July 17, 2026 in IMAX. The cast is extraordinary: Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Zendaya as Athena, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Lupita Nyong'o. Nolan has described Homer's source material as "the Marvel of its day" — a universe-spanning story of gods, monsters, and human endurance that has never been matched for sheer scope.
The film was shot across Greece, Italy, Iceland, Morocco, Scotland, and Ireland — a genuinely global production on a $250 million budget. Expect it to be visually extraordinary.
Get the comics before July 17th
Both the Odyssey and Iliad comic adaptations are available now with free delivery across India. Order before July 14th to receive them in time to read before the film.