Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago

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Who already has their tickets for "The Odyssey"? ✋

Christopher Nolan's hotly anticipated adaptation of Homer's Odyssey hits theaters this July, with a star-studded cast that includes Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, and more. It's based on the ancient Greek epic that follows legendary king Odysseus as he attempts to return home after the Trojan War—a journey that takes him 10 years and costs the lives of most of his crew.

We know the Odyssey is historic, dating back to at least 2,500 years ago. But is the epic poem historically accurate?

Set aside the sea monsters and ancient gods for a second. What about the Trojan War? The Trojan Horse? Odysseus' kingdom of Ithaca? And who really wrote all of this down in the first place?

Find out as we walk you through what's fact and what's fiction in Homer's Odyssey.

Learn more from Britannica:
Is the Odyssey a True Story? britannica.com/topic/Is-the-Odyssey-a-True-Story
Mapping Odysseus' Voyage: britannica.com/topic/Geography-of-Homers-Odyssey-Mapping-Odyssesuss-Epic-Voyage
How Long Was Odysseus Gone? britannica.com/topic/How-Long-Was-Odysseus-Gone
Was Homer a Real Person? britannica.com/question/Was-Homer-a-real-person

00:00 Fact or Fiction?
00:18 Odysseus
00:30 Ithaca
00:36 Troy
01:15 Trojan War
01:30 Helen of Troy
01:50 Trojan Horse
02:15 Homer

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