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Christopher Nolan is best known for films such as Inception and The Dark Knight trilogy, and has now turned to Homer's Odyssey, one of the oldest and most influential stories in Western literature. It follows the Greek hero Odysseus on his long, difficult journey home after the Trojan War. Nolan's version brings together a large cast in a big-budget production, and comparisons are already being drawn to the layered, non-linear way he structured earlier films.

Matt Damon, a veteran Hollywood actor known for roles in films like the Bourne series and Good Will Hunting, plays Odysseus. Taking on the part has involved a lengthy physical transformation, reflecting the scale of preparation big studio epics like this often demand of their lead actors.

The film matters because it marks one of the most high-profile attempts yet to bring ancient Greek mythology to a mainstream cinema audience, from a director whose past work has consistently drawn major box-office and critical attention.