Steven Seighman
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey continues to rake in box-office dollars and earn five-star reviews. It’s also inspiring artists around the world. In one of my previous monthly poster roundups for Film Obsessive, I included an attractive official poster for the film. Beyond the studio’s marketing campaign, however, a vibrant community of illustrators and designers has been sharing their own interpretations of the story—fresh visions unencumbered by marketing directives.
These alternative poster creators focus on a wide range of films from classics to new releases. Sites like Alternative Movie Posters and Poster Spy showcase works ranging from early features like 1932’s Dracula to upcoming ones such as Robert Eggers’ Werwulf, which doesn’t arrive in theaters until December. Sometimes, a single title comes along that captures the group’s collective imagination in a big way. Obsession, the horror phenomenon from earlier this year, is a great example. The volume of work based on that film posted to social media during its theatrical run was huge. The Odyssey seems to be doing it on an even larger scale. Instagram has become a virtual gallery where new artists show up every day to share their reinterpretations of Nolan’s vision through their own lens, producing striking images in a wide range of styles and ideas.
I’ve spent the last week scrolling through all the platforms and websites, feeling both inspired and amazed by everything I found—and, honestly, a little overwhelmed. There’s no way to create a fully comprehensive list of all the great work out there, but here are ten stunning Odyssey-themed pieces I came across that I can’t stop thinking about.
Star Power
Nolan’s film offers plenty of striking imagery for poster artists to explore. Its star-studded cast, featuring Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and more, gives them plenty of recognizable faces to work with. And leading man Matt Damon is, of course, often a central focus. The posters below spotlight him and a few other performers who make The Odyssey such a compelling film.
The Trojan Horse
The Trojan Horse is another image that translates perfectly into a work of art. The outward beauty of the animal alone is something easily rendered in just about any style. But this particular one’s hollow inside filled with soldiers adds another dramatic layer to how it can be depicted. Each of these posters highlights the equine element in an interesting way that pertains to the story.
Military
Soldiers are a key visual element in The Odyssey. Their crested helmets, armor, and weapons make for striking imagery. These two posters use them to capture a warfare aesthetic in distinct, distressed styles that effectively evoke the mood of ancient battle.
And also…
Goya’s Saturn Devouring His Son is a fascinating starting point for The Odyssey-inspired art. This piece reimagines the painting’s monstrous subject as Polyphemus, the man-eating cyclops from Homer’s epic. The result is a clever fusion of the Spanish master’s iconic image with one of the story’s most memorable scenes.
Hello is there a large large book of all posters Love them. Love the movie. It’s a 3000-year-old story that’s still relevant today in today’s politics in my mind. If you follow the wrong leadership, you’ll be led to a witch. Who will make you into a pig ?It looks like the original fascist.
Many old stories are very important and are Movie, music, visuals.