# Two Classics Professors on Why Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Works (with Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir)

An episode of [It Was A Book First](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1896902131), 29 Jul 2026, 1 h 04 min.

Audio: https://episodes.captivate.fm/episode/0d53cef2-6af9-455e-940c-9dab571d3d1b.mp3

This week, Sophie and Rudi take a deep dive into Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster adaptation of Homer’s epic poem “The Odyssey” with Classics professors Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir from Western University in London, Ontario, Canada. After Kyle and Il-Kweon share their backgrounds and areas of expertise (00:01:15), they dive right into Nolan’s film, sharing their general thoughts on his adaptation (00:03:35). Then, they discuss what message readers are meant to take away from Homer’s poem (00:05:54), how Matt Damon’s characterization of Odysseus in the film subverts the poem (00:10:51) and the influence of Virgil’s “Aeneid” on Nolan’s film (00:27:23). Kyle and Il-Kweon also share their favorite translations of “The Odyssey” (00:38:00), decide whether Anne Hathaway's Penelope is faithful to the text (00:47:00), and share their thoughts on how Nolan’s interpretation of the ending is in conversation with the tradition of scholarly debate over the end of the poem (00:56:49). Next week, we’re discussing Apple TV’s “Cape Fear,” a series adaptation of John D. MacDonald’s 1957 novel “The Executioners” that also draws from a pair of “Cape Fear” films from 1962 and 1991. It Was A Book First is the podcast about new book-to-screen adaptations. Subscribe now to get new episodes delivered weekly on Wednesdays. Follow us on Instagram: @itwasabookfirstpod TikTok: @itwasabookfirst YouTube: @itwasabookfirstpodcast Email: itwasabookfirst@gmail.com Hosts and producers: Sophie Vershbow and Rudi Greenberg Guests: Kyle Gervais and Il-Kweon Sir Editing: Rudi Greenberg Social media: Sophie Vershbow Music: Cliff Blum and John Connelly; music production: Kevin Pons Logo: Trisha Louise Prieto Website: Kevin Pfab

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