Christopher Nolan to take three-year break after The Odyssey — here’s why

After finally bringing The Odyssey to cinemas, Christopher Nolan has revealed he plans to take an extended break from filmmaking. The director, best known for blockbusters such as Inception and Oppenheimer, told US television that it will be “at least” three years before his next film appears.

Speaking in a recent interview, Nolan explained that now was the ideal moment to tackle the ancient Greek epic, which he had first considered adapting two decades ago. He described The Odyssey as “something that hasn’t been done” on this scale before, and called it his most ambitious work yet.

• The Odyssey is described by Nolan as a love story, a coming-of-age tale, and a story about war and homecoming all at once.
• Nolan said filming pushed both him and his cast to their limits, which is “what you’d expect” for a story with such scope.
• The film is currently playing in UK cinemas.

Nolan said: “I definitely hit the limits of my own stamina and everybody’s stamina, I think. I mean, it’s ‘The Odyssey’, of course it should be difficult. We’re not doing the job right making a film of ‘The Odyssey’ if it doesn’t seem difficult.”

This marks the end of a particularly intense period for the director, who is known for spacing out his projects. Asked whether the three-year gap seen between many of his films would continue, Nolan replied, “Oh, at least,” confirming fans will have to wait for any news about his next project. For now, viewers keen to experience his spin on Homer’s classic myth can catch The Odyssey on the big screen.