Let us tell you about the complicated argument being had about The Odyssey.
Not that classics professor Emily Wilson's skewering of Christopher Nolan's nearly three-hour film, which has already grossed more than $683 million worldwide since its July 17 release, is going to affect how many Oscars the film is nominated for, nor are people suddenly boycotting those sold-out IMAX screenings.
But Wilson's prosaic dismantling of The Odyssey, published by The London Review of Books, has started a war of words, featuring the purveyor of a best-selling (and controversial) 2017 translation of Homer's epic poem vs. an onslaught of defenders who strongly objected to how she critiqued the movie.
For instance, Joyce Carol Oates wrote on X July 29 that she found Wilson's tone to be one of "dismissal & haughty superiority," then expressed surprise that her own "two ultra-casual tweets" made headlines.
And yet that is what happens when you dive into the discourse surrounding what was already the most talked about movie of the year, with everything from Nolan's casting choices to Englishmen Robert Pattinson and Tom Holland speaking with American accents becoming fodder for debate.
Of course, all the hard feelings could also be evidence that The Odyssey has done its job—people are spending money to see it then going online to talk endlessly about it. Such is what we want from our major pop culture moments.
Even Wilson has been mulling the response to her 4,234-word essay and, while not retreating from her stance, has pointed out a critique that she could have been clearer about.
So, before you spend 10 years on this f--king beach trying to decipher what the issue is, here's what to know about The Odyssey drama between the translator and the blockbuster:
Nolan's screenplay for The Odyssey will be considered an adaptation come awards season, as the source material is the roughly 3,000-year-old epic poem of the same name attributed to Homer.
But while Nolan had more than 60 complete translations to go on—including Robert Fagles' often-cited 1996 version—he invoked Wilson's 2017 work when he explained what drew him to telling the tale of Odysseus.
“I think it’s the Emily Wilson translation that begins, ‘Tell me about a complicated man,'" the filmmaker told Empire in 2025. “The genius of the character, the cleverness, the inventiveness of him, that was a huge part of what interested me. He’s not just a soldier. He’s an amazing strategist, a very wily person.”
Both praised for its concise language and criticized for being too modern, Wilson's version (which does begin that way) was a best-seller and is tops among copies of The Odyssey sold this year, with sales of all translations up 76 percent year-on-year, according to Circana BookScan.
Wilson is a professor of classics at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2017, she became the first woman to publish an English-language translation of The Odyssey. She followed up with a translation of Homer's The Iliad in 2023.
The mother of three daughters is originally from Oxford, England, and has degrees from her storied hometown university as well as a PhD in classical and comparative literature from Yale.
Wilson dismissed Nolan's film in an essay for The London Review of Books titled "An Uncomplicated Man," noting that her teenage kids "had a good time."
Calling the source material "impossible to mess up entirely," she wrote that The Odyssey comprised the director's "usual combination of grandiosity and superficiality."
None of the female characters "has much to say, in contrast to the characterizations in the poem," Wilson observed (and she isn't the only one, as Nolan is often known for man-centric storylines), noting that Lupita Nyong'o's dual roles as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra were "hugely underwritten," as was Zendaya's Athena, while Anne Hathaway's Penelope and Charlize Theron's Calypso weren't given much to do.
Again not the only critic to do so, Wilson also called out the lack of sex in the R-rated film, as the text contains plenty of NSFW content when it comes to what Odysseus actually gets up to during the seven years he spends on the beach with the nymph Calypso—a detour portrayed tamely in the film—and how he convinces Circe to change his men back into human form after she turns them into pigs.
Ultimately, Wilson concluded, the film "lacks psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth. Its narrative structure is gimmicky. The writing is abysmal. None of the characters has convincing motivation for their actions or words. There are no sex scenes, and all the food looks horrible."
However, she was glad that people were excited to go to the movies and "translations of The Odyssey, including mine, are flying off the shelves." And, she wrote, "Some of those who buy the book or show up in cinemas to watch Tom Holland may go on to study ancient Greek."
No, and not least because Nolan has probably been too busy watching box office receipts tick toward $1 billion. And while the 57-year-old answered plenty of questions about his creative choices during the run-up to The Odyssey's release, he's not one to publicly go to war over reviews.
It's not as if every review of The Odyssey was 100 percent glowing (though it is 94 percent fresh on Rotten Tomatoes).
The Economist called it "very silly," while the Boston Globe said the movie "takes itself too seriously" and "ultimately sinks under its bleakness like a lead balloon."
So, you know...opinions. But Wilson's unabashed dressing-down of what most critics could agree was a mighty achievement as far as moviemaking was concerned obviously angered the Internet's Poseidon, because she's been feeling the online wrath.
Beyond penning more than 50 novels, Oates is also a prolific X (formerly Twitter) user and on July 30 she expressed surprise that "not one but two ultra-casual tweets of mine on the subject of Nolan's The Odyssey were pumped up" into headlines.
But on July 29, while reposting another user who said Wilson's review was "grounded in bad faith," Oates wrote, "yes, her tone of dismissal & haughty superiority strike a sour note."
The author continued, "within the world of translators this seems all the more surprising since all translations are, presumably, subjective & not equivalent to the original text. one would expect a translator, of all people, beholden to a text, in service to a text, to be just a wee bit more thoughtful & respectful of others who are acting in good faith just as (she would claim) she is."
Wilson is no stranger to being critiqued herself as an interpreter of classic texts. But, as she noted July 28 amid a lengthy Bluesky thread breaking down her main points from the LRB piece, "The oddest thing about the response to this essay is people who say it’s 'personal.' You can disagree about some or all of it! I may well be wrong! But it’s not 'personal' to analyze a film or other work of art, even negatively. Criticism is more than 'Hurray!' or 'Hiss!'"
She did, however, give herself an edit, writing July 29, "In this piece, I regret the paragraph about the uses of the POC actors - who are all great, but IMO under-utilized (and why couldn‘t Himesh Patel be Odysseus instead?) I still think the film largely wastes its strong cast, but I framed it badly."
And Wilson stuck with her thesis during an appearance on NPR's Fresh Air the same day, saying, "I do think that it would have been better if Nolan had hired a scriptwriter, because that would have solved a lot of the issues."
That said, she doesn't want to discourage people from making their own odyssey to theaters.
It was "absolutely" worth seeing, Wilson said. "The actors are amazing. It's a star-studded cast and they're doing their absolute best with the script they were given."
Read on to see more books that are being turned into TV shows and movies:
Based on: The Laura Ingalls Wilder series of the same nameCast: Alice Halsey, Luke Bracey, Skywalker Hughes, Crosby Fitzgerald and Jocko Sims Release Date: July 9 on NetflixYou know the books—not to mention the 1974 series—following the Ingalls family as they traveled through the Midwest in the late 19th century. Based on Laura Ingalls Wilder’s childhood diaries, this new series ushers the story in for a new generation. And prepare the wagon for the long haul as Netflix has already confirmed a second season is on the way.
Based On: Elin Hilderbrand’s 2023 novelStarring: Jennifer Garner, D'Arcy Carden, Chloë Sevigny, Regina Hall, Gemma Chan and Timothy OlyphantPremieres: July 9 PeacockHilderbrand is the queen of Nantucket beach read. Add in a megastar like Garner and its place in our queue is solidified. The Alias alum stars as Hollis, a food blogger whose life is turned update down by tragedy. As part of her healing journey, she resolves to host a “five-star” weekend with her closest pals—only for it to go awry as the cracks in her friendships deepen and game-changing secrets emerge. Yep, we are firmly seated.
Based On: Marissa Stapley's 2021 bookStarring: Anya Taylor-Joy, Drew Starkey, Annette Bening, Timothy Olyphant, Clifton Collins Jr. and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor Premieres: July 15 on Apple TVIf seeing Anya and Drew leading the cast isn’t enough of a draw—and it should be!—the story itself is pretty thrilling, a young woman returning to the con artist life she was raised in an attempt to secure her future. And with Reese Witherspoon’s Hello Sunshine producing and a stellar supporting cast, we are already seated.
Based On: The epic poem of the same name by HomerCast: Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron and morePremieres: In theaters July 17For starters, it’s a Christopher Nolan blockbuster—and his first since reaching Oscar-winner glory with Oppenheimer. And one of the most stacked casts in recent Hollywood memory was enlisted to tackle the iconic tale of Greek warrior Odysseus’ grueling trek home after the Trojan War. For the unlucky who haven’t already secured their tickets, prepare to embark on quite an odyssey to find an open seat.
Based on: The Nevada Barr books of the same nameCast: Tracy Spiridakos and Ronnie RoweRelease Date: August 7 on USAFormerly a member of Chicago P.D.'s finest, Spiridakos, like her titular character in the new USA series, is trading in life in the city for some time in nature. Although that doesn't mean it's accompanied by peace and quiet. After a devastating loss, Anna Pigeon is settled into life as a park ranger, putting all her focus on solving crimes, while trying to keep her personal demons at bay.
Based On: The Book of Magic by Alice HoffmanStarring: Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Stockard Channing, Dianne Weist, Joey KingPremieres: In theaters September 18, 2026Another midnight margarita night is finally on the books. Nearly three decades after the original movie, the sequel, based on Hoffman’s 2021 novel, follows Sally (Sandra), Gillian (Nicole), Frances (Stockard) and Jet (Dianne) contend with their family’s curse as it begins to plague the next generations of Owens ladies.
Based On: Ali Hazelwood’s 2021 Novel of the Same Starring: Lili Reinhart and Tom BatemanPremieres: September 23 on Prime VideoThe fake dating romance that sent #BookTok into a spiral is heading to the big screen. And the novel that has roots in fanfiction centered on Star Wars characters Rey and Kylo Ren is starring none other than Rey actress Daisy Ridley’s IRL husband Tom—joined by the Riverdale alum. And if that’s not a reason to be excited by what’s to come—or at least curious—we don’t know what is.
Based On: Jane Austin’s 1811 NovelCast: Daisy Edgar-Jones, Esmé Creed-Miles, Caitríona Balfe, Frank Fillane, George MacKay and Fiona ShawPremieres: In theaters September 25, 2026 in U.K., October 16, 2026, in U.S.Who doesn’t love a Jane Austin adaptation? Though Pride and Prejudice often gets a lot of love onscreen, the novelist’s debut is taking center stage, following the three Dashwood sisters in the years after their dad’s death—seeking romance and security in Regency-era England.
Based on: Colleen Hoover's 2021 bookStarring: Anne Hathaway, Dakota Johnson and Josh HartnettPremieres: In theaters October 2, 2026For starters, we can look no further than Anne, Dakota and Josh. The book—which follows a struggling writer who is asked to complete a best-selling series after the author's mysterious accident—is already a wild, twisty ride. And with this trio at the center, seeing it brought to life on screen is all the more exciting.
Based On: Suzanne Collins’ 2025 novelStarring: Joseph Zada, Whitney Peak, Mckenna Grace, Elle Fanning, Maya Hawke, Kelvin Harrison Jr., Jesse Plemons and Ralph FiennesPremieres: In theaters November 20, 2026On the same day Collins’ latest trip to Panem was announced, Lionsgate confirmed it would be adapting the much-anticipated story following a young Haymitch Abernathy—Peeta and Katniss’ famously haunted mentor in the 74th Hunger Games—during his winning battle in the 50th Games.
Based on: Dune Messiah by Frank HerbertCast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Florence Pugh, Rebecca Ferguson, Anya Taylor-Joy, Javiar Bardem, Charlotte Rampling, Jason Momoa, Robert Pattinson and Josh Brolin.Premieres: December 18, 2026In the run up to Dune’s release in 2021, director Denis Villeneuve teased his vision for a trilogy, adapting Herbert’s 1965 novel and its first sequel Dune Messiah. And, at last, that dream has become a reality, with Villeneuve’s final installment tracking the fate of Paul Atreides (Chalamet), Chani (Zendaya) and as they face their biggest threat yet: Pattinson’s Scytale, who is desperate to overthrow Paul from his role as Padishah Emperor.
Based on: J.K. Rowling’s 1997 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s StoneCast: Dominic McLaughlin, Alastair Stout, Arabella Stanton, Janet McTeer, Nick Frost, Paapa Essiedu and John LithgowPremieres: December 25, 2026While we are just a decade or so removed from the final installment in the film series starring Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson and Rupert Grint, a whole new trio are about to journey on the Hogwarts Express to the magical boarding school. In fact, HBO has already expressed a commitment to diving deep into the Wizarding World—covering details from the book omitted from the films—with the series planning to film over the next decade.
Based on: Elle Kennedy’s third Off Campus novel The ScoreCast: Mika Abdalla, Stephen Kalyn, Ella Bright, Belmont Cameli, Jalen Thomas Brooks, Antonio Cipriano, Khobe Clarke and India FowlerRelease: TBDLuckily, fans won’t have to wait too long to see the Prime Video series’ sophomore foray. Not only was the show renewed for season two ahead of the show’s debut, but the cast was already back on set in the weeks following its release. And with the love story between Hannah Wells (Bright) and Garrett Graham (Cameli) firmly in the books, Allie Hayes (Abdalla) and Dean Di Laurentis (Kalyn) get their time to shine in season two. And after their secret friends-with-benefits firmly in the maybe-something-more camp—before that explosive final scene—fans can expect a whole lot of drama (and steamy romance) to come.
Based on: Julia Quinn’s sixth Bridgerton Novel When He Was WickedCast: Hannah Dodd and Masali BaduzaPremieres: TBD 2027A major departure from the novels is heading to the ton. After the devastating death of Francesca Bridgerton’s husband John Stirling (Victor Alli) in season four, it seemed only fitting that the sixth Bridgerton sibling (Dodd) stepped into the spotlight next. And this time, the beloved romance series is following a queer love story.
“Two years after losing her beloved husband John, Fran decides to reenter the marriage mart for practical reasons, the season five synopsis teases. “But when John’s cousin Michaela returns to London to tend to the Kilmartin estate, Fran’s complicated feelings will have her questioning whether to stick to her pragmatic intentions or pursue her inner passions.”
Based on: Emily Henry’s 2020 novelCast: Phoebe Dynevor, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Andie MacDowell, Kevin Bacon and Kristen DavisPremieres: May 7, 2027Okay, so the casting caused a bit of a controversy as January Andrews (Dynevor) and Gus Everett (Schwarzenegger) are more than beloved by fans of Henry’s novels. Especially as the anticipation for this adaptation—following rom-com writer January and literary fiction scribe Gus who dare one another to write a story in the other’s style—has been high since it was revealed to be heading to the big screen in 2023. And as Henry emphasized on Today, like fans, she’s “along for the ride with the readers and we just have to trust the vision.”
Based On: Holly Gramazio’s 2024 novelStarring: Juno Temple, Joe Alwyn, Richard Gadd, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Joel Kinnaman, Daniel Ings, Bob Morley, Fehinti Balogun, Tom Basden, Joe Wilkinson, Gemma Whelan, Rebekah Murrell and Shazad LatifPremieres: TBD on Apple TVPrepare to meet more than one hundred husbands. Indeed, the story follows Lauren, who arrives home to be greeted by her husband Michael—only she has never seen him before in her life. A different husband soon takes his place, and she soon learns a seemingly-endless supply of spouses are coming from her attic. As she navigates this complicated romantic journey, key questions emerge, namely, what does she want from life and will she take the reins to get it?
Based on: Rachel Reid’s 2022 novel The Long Game Cast: Hudson Williams, Connor Storrie, Francois Arnaud, Robbie G.K., Christina Chang, Dylan Walsh, Callan Potter and Ksenia Daniela KharlamovaRelease: TBD Spring 2027Forget coming to the cottage, fans will be heading to HBO—or Crave for the Canadian fans—in droves when season two of the hockey romance returns. And while the upcoming installment—which will also weave in Reid’s novel Role Model—Ilya Rozanov (Storrie) and Shane Hollander (Williams) are firmly locked in, that brings new challenges for the pair, on top of feeling more pressure than ever as they approach life as elite athletes entering their 30s.
Based On: Stephanie Meyer’s 2020 novelStarring: TBDPremieres: TBD on NetflixWhile fans had to wait more than a decade for Meyer to release the retelling of Twilight from Edward Cullen’s POV, viewers will soon see an animated version of the story coming to their screens. And it’s safe to say catching a glimpse of an animated killer’s sparkly skin will be must-see TV.
Based On: Tessa Bailey’s 2021 novelCast: Nina Dobrev and Tyler HoechlinPremieres: TBDWho doesn’t love a fish-out-of-water story? Bailey certainly delivered in It Happened One Summer, following L.A. socialite Piper Bellinger who is exiled to the pacific northwest, where she encounters stoic king crab fisherman Brendan Taggart. And the author firmly believes Dobrev and Hoechlin are the perfect people to channel the duo onscreen.
“I'm just excited to see what they bring to the characters,” Bailey recently told E! News. “I think they're both such talented actors, and they're both really funny. So, I'm really excited to see the spin they put on Piper and Brendan. I think they're going to kill it.”
Based On: Emily Henry's 2024 novelStarring: TBDPremieres: TBD on NetflixAmong the many adaptations of Henry's novels coming to the big and small screen is her 2024 best-seller, which gives viewers a look at how Daphne finds herself again after Peter breaks off their engagement to be with his childhood best friend Petra. And of course, Daphne gets an assist from Petra's own ex-boyfriend, Miles.