The 2026 film The Odyssey is based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem, the Odyssey. The poem centers on Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and his long journey home after the Trojan War.
Traditionally attributed to Homer, the Odyssey is one of the foundational works of Western literature. It is usually divided into 24 books and is thought to have taken shape in the late eighth or early seventh century BCE. Unlike the Iliad, which focuses primarily on the Trojan War, the Odyssey follows the aftermath and the hero’s struggle to return to his family and kingdom.
The title can cause confusion because “Odyssey” is also used in English as a general word for a long, eventful journey. The film’s source is specifically Homer’s poem, not the Argonautica, which tells Jason’s voyage, or Virgil’s Aeneid, which follows the Trojan refugee Aeneas.