Nolan's 'The Odyssey' boosts sales of Homer's classic and audiobook streams
The release of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation has led to a sharp rise in print sales and audiobook listening of Homer's original poem, with notable increases in the UK and US markets.
Christopher Nolan's cinematic version of The Odyssey generated $264 million globally in its opening weekend and sparked renewed interest in Homer's original work. In the United Kingdom, print sales of the poem jumped 700 % compared with the same period in 2025, with almost 8,000 copies sold last week, bringing the year-to-date total to 47,000—a 95 % increase year-on-year, according to NielsenIQ BookData. Waterstones reported a surge in demand for the 2017 translation by Emily Wilson, noting that the retailer had to replenish stock daily.
"We got more stock in but we weren't anticipating quite the uplift, particularly on Emily Wilson," Waterstones chief operating officer Kate Skipper told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
Audiobook streams also rose sharply. A version narrated by Sir Stephen Fry entered Spotify's UK top-10 chart, while Sir Ian McKellen's reading appeared on the US equivalent. Spotify listening figures climbed about 680 % since the film’s release, with over 80 % of listeners identified as Gen Z or millennials.
"I want to celebrate the fact that so many more people are aware of The Odyssey and were brought back to the poem," translator Emily Wilson said in an interview with the Associated Press.
The film, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway, set a UK record for the highest opening-weekend takings on IMAX screens and was the first theatrical release shot entirely with IMAX 70 mm film cameras. Critics noted the immersive experience of the format, though they also highlighted the high cost and the prevalence of smaller-screen viewing.
"You do feel like you're very close to the characters, you're immersed in the action. So it is a heightened experience," film critic Anna Smith told the Today programme.
The box-office success and associated media attention have translated into measurable growth for the original literary work, demonstrating the cross-media impact of the film.