Joyce Carol Oates Stands up for 'Odyssey,' Critiques Translator
WHO:
Variety - Joyce Carol Oates, Christopher Nolan, Emily Wilson
Los Angeles Times - Joyce Carol Oates, Emily Wilson, Nolan, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Himesh Patel, Corey Antonio Hawkins, Travis Scott
WHAT:
The Guardian - Oates compared Nolan's film to a 1997 Hallmark Channel version, stating it had a “much more interesting interpretation than Nolan” of the sexual dynamic between Circe and Odysseus.
The Guardian - Wilson's review stated that "the writing is abysmal" and that "none of the characters has a convincing motivation for their actions or words."
The Guardian - Wilson criticized the film for lacking sex scenes and stated, "all the food looks horrible."
The Guardian - Wilson's review stated that Nolan's film lacked "psychological, emotional, political and ethical depth" and had "nothing convincing to say."
The Guardian - Wilson criticized the film's writing as "abysmal," claiming that none of the characters had a convincing motivation for their actions or words.
The Guardian - The film "The Odyssey" cost around $250 million to make and about $100 million to promote, and has currently taken $683 million at the global box office.
The Guardian - UK bookseller TGJones reported a 1,560% rise in searches for the Iliad this month.
Variety - Oates stated that Wilson's review "speaks in the crude language of MAGA folks attacking someone with ideas that differ from hers."
Los Angeles Times - Wilson's review compared Nolan's film to Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “Game of Thrones.”
Los Angeles Times - Wilson criticized Nolan's portrayal of female characters, stating they "had much to say" in contrast to the original poem.
Los Angeles Times - Wilson remarked that Nolan's race-neutral casting resulted in non-white actors playing roles that were "essentially a wash" and limited to supporting characters.
Variety - Joyce Carol Oates defended Christopher Nolan’s film adaptation of “The Odyssey” after Emily Wilson wrote a critical review.
Los Angeles Times - Oates criticized Wilson’s review, stating it had a tone of “dismissal & haughty superiority.”
Los Angeles Times - Wilson’s review went viral, reportedly crashing the London Review of Books website for a few hours.
Los Angeles Times - Sales of Wilson’s translation of “The Odyssey” increased by more than 600% year over year across Audible’s U.S., U.K., and Canadian marketplaces.
Los Angeles Times - Daily global sales of Wilson’s translation rose nearly sixfold during the week the movie premiered.
Los Angeles Times - In the nine days following the film's wide release, daily global sales averaged around 20 times more than the rate before the premiere.
WHERE:
Los Angeles Times - The review was published in the London Review of Books.
WHEN:
Los Angeles Times - Wilson’s review was published in the week of the film's premiere.
WHY:
The Guardian - Oates expressed that Wilson's review was surprising since "all translations are, presumably, subjective & not equivalent to the original text."
Los Angeles Times - Wilson quipped that the film does not show that war or killing are bad, but rather that "good men sometimes feel bad about it."
Variety - Oates criticized Wilson for not engaging in a collegial manner regarding interpretations of Homer.
Los Angeles Times - Oates expressed that Wilson’s review was surprising given that all translations are subjective.
HOW:
The Guardian - Universal emphasized that Nolan had been linked to an adaptation of "The Odyssey" long before Wilson's translation was published, disputing claims that he had been "inspired" by it.
The Guardian - Universal has stressed that Nolan had been linked to an adaptation of "The Odyssey" long before Wilson's translation was published, disputing claims that he had been "inspired" by it.
Los Angeles Times - Oates used social media to express her support for Nolan’s adaptation and her criticism of Wilson’s translation.
(UPDATED July 31, 2026 01:31 UTC)
In a recent review, Oates compared Christopher Nolan's adaptation of "The Odyssey" to a 1997 Hallmark Channel version, suggesting that the earlier film offered a more compelling interpretation of the sexual dynamic between Circe and Odysseus. Meanwhile, Wilson criticized Nolan's film, calling the writing "abysmal" and noting that the characters lacked convincing motivations, while also lamenting the absence of sex scenes and the unappetizing appearance of the food. Universal responded to Wilson's critique by clarifying that Nolan had been associated with the adaptation long before Wilson's translation was released, challenging the notion that Nolan was influenced by it.
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(UPDATED July 30, 2026 14:43 UTC)
A review by The Guardian has criticized Christopher Nolan's film "The Odyssey," stating it lacks psychological, emotional, political, and ethical depth, with the writing described as "abysmal" and characters lacking convincing motivations. Despite these critiques, the film has performed well at the box office, grossing $683 million globally after a production cost of around $250 million and an additional $100 million spent on promotion. Interestingly, UK bookseller TGJones reported a staggering 1,560% increase in searches for the Iliad this month, as Universal clarified that Nolan was linked to the adaptation long before Wilson's translation was published.
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(UPDATED July 30, 2026 06:48 UTC)
Wilson's recent review of Christopher Nolan's film has sparked controversy, as she criticized his portrayal of female characters, arguing they "had much to say" compared to the original poem. She also compared the film to Peter Jackson’s “Lord of the Rings” trilogy and “Game of Thrones,” while taking issue with Nolan's race-neutral casting, which she felt relegated non-white actors to limited supporting roles. In a pointed remark, Wilson noted that the film fails to convey that war or killing are inherently bad, suggesting instead that "good men sometimes feel bad about it."
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(UPDATED July 30, 2026 05:57 UTC)
Joyce Carol Oates has come to the defense of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of "The Odyssey," criticizing Emily Wilson's recent review for its tone of "dismissal and haughty superiority." Oates took to social media to express her support for Nolan and her disapproval of Wilson's approach, which she found surprising given the subjective nature of translations. Meanwhile, Wilson's review gained significant attention, reportedly crashing the London Review of Books website and leading to a staggering increase in sales of her translation, which rose by more than 600% year over year across Audible's U.S., U.K., and Canadian marketplaces.