Nolan’s “Odyssey” Is Inspired by Tarkovsky’s “Andrei Rublev”

Christopher Nolan has opened up about the artistic influences shaping his upcoming feature, The Odyssey. The director revealed that while crafting his grand-scale adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, he repeatedly turned to two pillars of world cinema for guidance: Andrei Tarkovsky’s Andrei Rublev and Akira Kurosawa’s Ran.

Nolan expressed a particular affinity for Andrei Rublev, noting that the film’s distinctive visual texture and immersive atmosphere served as a definitive touchstone during the creative process for his own project.

The impact of Ran proved equally profound. Nolan remarked that he initially revisited Kurosawa’s sweeping historical drama out of mere curiosity, never anticipating it would leave such a lasting impression. Ultimately, however, the filmmaker realized that several of the stylistic and narrative choices found in Kurosawa’s masterpiece had deeply permeated the fabric of his own Odyssey.

The Odyssey stands as one of the most ambitious undertakings of Nolan’s career. With a production budget estimated at $250 million and filming conducted using cutting-edge IMAX cameras, the project promises a grand cinematic experience. The film is slated for a global theatrical release on July 17, 2026.