Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of Homer's epic poem has crossed $900 million worldwide in less than three weeks, and now two companion books are offering audiences a look behind the camera. One of the most striking images released so far shows an early design for the Trojan Horse, one of the first things audiences see in the film and a symbol that hangs over the entire story of Odysseus' journey home.
According to Screen Rant, Insight Editions is publishing both books in partnership with Universal and Syncopy. The first, Filming the Odyssey: Inside the Making of Christopher Nolan's Modern Epic, arrives August 25. The second, The World of the Odyssey: A Visual Journey, follows in September. Both are written by James Mottram.
Filming the Odyssey runs 280 pages and includes a foreword written by Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus in the film. The book covers the full arc of production, from Nolan developing his script to the finished film, and includes on-set photos, concept art, research materials, and exclusive interviews with the director, cast, and crew. The World of the Odyssey is a 144-page illustrated companion with character profiles, location guides, and a final chapter on the filmmaking craft that brought the movie to life. It also includes exclusive quotes from Nolan and his collaborators.
The film has earned a 94% critics score and a Verified Hot audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Damon and several of his co-stars, including Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, and Zendaya as Athena, are already being discussed as likely nominees heading into the 2027 Oscar season, along with potential nominations for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay.
While the film plays in multiplex and IMAX venues nationwide, one of its most unusual success stories has unfolded in Glendale, California. The Alex Theatre, a century-old venue that had not screened a first-run movie in 35 years, installed a 70mm presentation system just six weeks ago, in time for The Odyssey's July 17 premiere. The Hollywood Reporter noted that the Alex has since become the highest-grossing theater in the country for the film on that format.
The 900-seat venue, known for its Classical Revival and Moderne architecture, has been showing the film three times per day and has extended its run by at least two weeks. The last first-run film it showed before The Odyssey was Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991.
The theatre invested $500,000 in technical upgrades, including a new ground-floor projection booth. In-demand Los Angeles projectionist Taylor Umphenour, an IMAX consultant who has worked with Nolan on his dailies, helped oversee the design and construction. "What you have at a cinema like the Alex is a true understanding of the in-person experience of shared narrative," Umphenour said. "That's why people are coming — and losing their minds."
Artistic director Miles Williams credited both audiences and Universal Pictures in a statement following the theater's record performance. "The response from audiences has been overwhelming and a wonderful reminder of how much people still value the shared experience of seeing a great film together," Williams said.
The Odyssey's domestic total reached $395.5 million over the weekend, though it relinquished the top spot at the box office to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which is sharing some IMAX screens with Nolan's film. The Alex plans to host additional large-format screenings going forward, with Denis Villeneuve's Dune: Part Three scheduled for December and Greta Gerwig's Narnia: The Magician's Nephew set for February 2027.
Filming the Odyssey: Inside the Making of Christopher Nolan's Modern Epic is available for pre-order now ahead of its August 25 release date.