Why Christopher Nolan turned to 'The Odyssey' after 'Oppenheimer'?

Christopher Nolan has admitted he turned to The Odyssey in a bid to leave behind the emotional weight of Oppenheimer.

The 55-year-old Oscar-winning filmmaker revealed that spending years immersed in the story of nuclear warfare left him with a strange mix of hope and despair, prompting him to tackle something entirely different. 

His latest blockbuster, based on Homer's legendary Greek epic, stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland, but Nolan confessed the project still echoed many of the darker ideas he thought he had left behind.

Speaking to USA Today, the director explained that Oppenheimer felt "almost like a horror film" because of its disturbing subject matter. 

After living with the threat of nuclear war for so long, he was eager to move on, yet found traces of those same human struggles woven into the ancient tale of Odysseus.

Nolan also admitted he was surprised by how much his work on The Dark Knight trilogy helped shape the new film. 

Although the worlds seem vastly different, he said both stories revolve around creating larger-than-life heroes who still feel deeply human. 

The lessons he learned while bringing Batman to the big screen proved unexpectedly valuable in crafting the legendary Greek warrior.

The Interstellar director also revealed that Martin Scorsese's controversial 1988 film The Last Temptation of Christ served as a major creative influence during pre-production. 

Adding another milestone to his career, The Odyssey is the first feature ever shot entirely with IMAX 70mm cameras. 

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