Homer’s The Odyssey is one of the foundational texts of Western literature. It is one of the earliest examples of the hero’s journey, the archetypal quest that has underpinned countless works of literature, film, and more for thousands of years. And it remains relevant today—so relevant that in 2026, it received a star-studded adaptation helmed by Christopher Nolan.

This is far from the first time this classic story has been adapted for the screen. However, The Odyssey has historically proven challenging for filmmakers, partly due to the story’s disjointed narrative, the vast length of time and distances it covers, and the complexity of its characters, among other reasons. 

Not all of its onscreen adaptations have been well-liked, at least according to Rotten Tomatoes critics and viewers. Not all adaptations have scores on Rotten Tomatoes, either. Early adaptations such as the 1968 TV miniseries The Odyssey don’t have scores, as Rotten Tomatoes does not feature films from eras when “film criticism was not as robust as it is now,” according to its website.

Still other films toe the line between what could be called an adaptation of The Odyssey and what is merely loosely inspired by it. A list of films that draw elements from The Odyssey would be practically infinite, so here, we’re featuring movies that follow the storyline of The Odyssey somewhat closely or directly involve characters from it. 

Still, some most certainly put their own unique spins on this classic narrative. See how some of the more faithful Odyssey adaptations stack up on Rotten Tomatoes below.

1. The Odyssey (1997) // 79%
2. O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) // 78%
3. The Return (2024) // 78%
4. Keyhole (2011) // 70%
5. Troy: The Odyssey (2017) // 44%

The Odyssey (1997) // 79%

1997’s The Odyssey is a two-part TV miniseries written and directed by Andrei Konchalovsky and starring Armand Assante as Odysseus. The series has a 79% score on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer, with some critics praising its faithfulness to the original story and others criticizing the effectiveness of the changes it made to the original narrative. Ultimately, viewers and critics seem to agree that this adaptation is one of the more by-the-book takes on Homer’s original narrative thus far.

O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) // 78%

This movie transposes the narrative structure of The Odyssey into a completely different time period and set of circumstances. It follows a man named Ulysses Everett McGill (George Clooney), who escapes his chain gang sentence and sets off on a journey in search of buried treasure along with two other men. 

The film features many characters and situations that directly reference The Odyssey, from a one-eyed Bible salesman who resembles the mythical Cyclops to seductive, singing laundresses who evoke the monstrous, island-dwelling sirens. On Rotten Tomatoes, critics praised the film’s satirical nature, its soundtrack, and its unconventional spin on classic tropes.

The Return (2024) // 78%

This film stars Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus, but it begins the story with our hero arriving home in Ithaca after 20 years away. There, he finds his wife trapped in her own home by suitors willing to kill their son to claim the throne. He must then find the strength to claim power again, all after what anyone who knows anything about The Odyssey will agree was a rather exhausting journey.

On Rotten Tomatoes, critics praised director Uberto Pasolini’s decision to remove the fantasy from the story, creating a film that focuses more on psychology, trauma, and family dynamics than sea monsters. 

Keyhole (2011) // 70%

This movie puts an extremely experimental and abstract spin on The Odyssey. It transposes the classic narrative from the sea into an ancient, rotting house that serves as a labyrinthine maze where a gangster seeks out his ailing wife. 

Along the way, he encounters many ghosts and monstrous memories that resemble various characters from The Odyssey. Here, though, guilt and identity are the choppiest waters this protagonist must sail through. Viewers on Rotten Tomatoes seemed to enjoy this film’s avant-garde nature and surrealism, though some argued its opaqueness went a touch too far. 

Troy: The Odyssey (2017) // 44%

This movie doesn’t have enough critic reviews to have a Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes. Audience reviewers gave it a rather dismal 44%, however, criticizing its production quality, acting, and writing. 

The one critic review it does have is rather scathing: “Have you ever thought that The Odyssey might be better if Tommy Wiseau, and not Homer, wrote it? That’s sort of the vibe you’ll get from Troy: The Odyssey on Netflix,” wrote Meghan O’Keefe. (Tommy Wiseau directed The Room, a film often labeled the worst movie ever made). 

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