Jerry Bruckheimer Sets Sail on Epic Musical Adaptation of The Odyssey

Well, here we go: Hollywood is officially obsessed with Homer again, and it isn’t just a one-and-done thing. Not content with letting Christopher Nolan run the table on epic Greek myth adaptations, the entertainment industry is doubling down on The Odyssey—and from the looks of it, we’re getting two wildly different projects aimed at two very different crowds.

Nolan Goes All-In on Ancient Epic

First up: the one you probably already know about (at least if you’ve been anywhere near movie news in the last year). Christopher Nolan is prepping his next high-profile blockbuster: a live-action adaptation of The Odyssey, set for release on July 17, 2026. Nolan’s version isn’t exactly subtle about its ambitions—think massive theatrical spectacle, giant IMAX cameras, and a cast list that reads like someone’s A-list fantasy football draft:

• Matt Damon as Odysseus
• Tom Holland as Telemachus
• Anne Hathaway as Penelope
• Zendaya as Athena

Nolan is reportedly making history with this one, shooting the entire film on IMAX 70mm cameras (that’s a first, for those keeping track of format trivia). Sources who caught early footage at CinemaCon say the Trojan Horse scene is every bit as over-the-top as you’d hope. Bottom line: this is built to be a serious event movie, the kind you go see on the biggest screen you can find.

Bruckheimer and the Viral Musical

But while Nolan’s aiming for thunderbolts and high drama, here’s where things get weird (in a fun way). Jerry Bruckheimer—yes, the Top Gun: Maverick and Pirates of the Caribbean guy—is producing an entirely different take: an animated feature based on Jorge Rivera-Herran’s EPIC: The Musical.

If you haven’t been on TikTok or deep musical theater Twitter, EPIC is a viral music retelling of The Odyssey. It’s already got a passionate online following, making this more than just Hollywood fishing around for IP. Bruckheimer’s version is going full animation, which means that instead of Nolan’s brooding realism and gritty visuals, we could be getting wild gods, freaky monsters, and all the ancient weirdness in a much more stylized package. It’s hard to overstate how different these two movies will feel.

So What’s the Big Deal?

For industry watchers, the fact that two heavyweight projects are tackling the same story—at pretty much the same time, but with completely opposite approaches—is a little unusual. Most of the time, Hollywood tries to space these things out, to avoid direct comparisons. But this time? Get ready for a live-action vs. animation, IMAX cameras vs. TikTok fandom, practical stunts vs. musical numbers showdown.

'Animation instantly separates EPIC from Nolan’s practical, large-format approach and opens up a different visual language for gods, monsters, and the heightened elements of Greek mythology.'

If you’re into big-budget, must-see event movies, you’re probably waiting for Nolan’s. If you want something more accessible, with music and an existing fanbase, Bruckheimer’s EPIC could be your ticket. Either way, it looks like next time you want to revisit Homer’s mythic hero, you’ll have options—whether you want it loud, huge, and serious, or catchy, animated, and viral.

One thing’s clear: The Odyssey is about to have a pop culture moment, and for once, Hollywood is letting two different creative visions duke it out for our attention.