Christopher Nolan reportedly assigned films to his cast before making *The Odyssey*, and Collider argues that his forthcoming Homer adaptation shows the influence of several major cinematic traditions. The article presents these influences as clues to Nolan’s aim: an ancient world that feels physically real, vast and emotionally punishing rather than digitally artificial.

– *Andrei Rublev* (1966): Nolan screened Tarkovsky’s austere medieval drama for its tactile, patient depiction of hardship and lived-in historical settings.
– *Ran* (1985): Kurosawa’s large-scale battles, landscapes and wind-blown banners offer a model for showing human figures overwhelmed by vast forces.
– *The Last Temptation of Christ* (1988): Scorsese’s religious epic is among the three films Nolan reportedly assigned to his actors.
– The article also identifies apparent influences from David Lean, sword-and-sandal epics, Nolan’s own work and a recent Oscar-recognised monster film.