Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is already shaping up to be one of the year’s most ambitious cinematic events, but its inspiration did not end at ancient Greek mythology alone. As it turns out, composer Ludwig Göransson received a very unexpected invitation before work on the film even began. Instead, the Oscar-winning filmmaker looked to one of Martin Scorsese’s most controversial classics, The Last Temptation of Christ, to help shape the sonic heart of Homer’s legendary tale. 

And rather than explaining his vision through lengthy conversations, Christopher Nolan seems let another film do the talking.

Christopher Nolan turned to Martin Scorsese’s most controversial classic for The Odyssey

Speaking to Variety at the New York premiere of The Odyssey, Ludwig Göransson revealed that Christopher Nolan invited him over to watch The Last Temptation of Christ as creative inspiration for The Odyssey. For the unversed, Martin Scorsese’s 1988 drama is noted for portraying Jesus not as an untouchable icon, but as a deeply flawed and profoundly human figure, a perspective Nolan perhaps hoped to bring to Odysseus in his own epic.

“Chris [Nolan] invited me over to watch The Last Temptation of Christ. He wanted me to see it for inspiration on The Odyssey.” Göransson told Variety.

However, Scorsese’s much-debated masterpiece, as Göransson told Variety, was only one piece of Nolan’s creative blueprint. The Odyssey also draws inspiration from some of cinema’s most celebrated classics, including Jaws, Alien, and even Nolan’s own The Dark Knight trilogy. Speaking to USA Today, the filmmaker further admitted that Oppenheimer unexpectedly shaped the emotional heart of the story, revealing that after years immersed in the devastating realities of n****** warfare, traces of that lingering despair naturally found their way into Odysseus’ deeply personal journey.

If Christopher Nolan’s ambitious creative blueprint was not enough to fuel the excitement, the numbers tell an even bigger story.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is already 2026’s most anticipated blockbuster

Long before its theatrical debut, The Odyssey has already established itself as one of Hollywood’s biggest talking points. According to research by Sweepstakes Table, which analyzed Google search volume across 60 confirmed entertainment releases of 2026, Christopher Nolan’s mythological epic topped the movie category with an average of 673,000 monthly searches, comfortably outpacing every other film on the list.

The figure is nearly double that of the second-ranked Wuthering Heights, starring Margot Robbie, while also eclipsing the most searched television title, Scrubs. Given Homer’s timeless legacy, Nolan’s star-studded ensemble, and the filmmaker’s meticulous approach to reimagining the ancient epic, it is little surprise that The Odyssey has already emerged as one of 2026’s most eagerly awaited cinematic events.

With The Odyssey set to sail into theatres on July 17, Ludwig Göransson’s revelation has offered fans a rare glimpse behind Christopher Nolan’s creative curtain. And if the filmmaker’s unexpected inspirations are any indication, audiences may be in for a version of Odysseus that is as emotionally complex as it is mythically grand.

What are your thoughts on Christopher Nolan drawing inspiration from The Last Temptation of Christ for The Odyssey? Let us know in the comments.