Christopher Nolan Greek epic film projects have always fascinated audiences, and it’s now clear that back in the early 2000s, Nolan nearly directed his own adaptation of a classical legend. Before he became a household name for blockbusters like Oppenheimer and the Dark Knight trilogy, Nolan almost helmed Troy, the 2004 movie featuring Brad Pitt as Achilles. This early near-miss sheds light on a fascinating period in Nolan’s career and how it shaped the path he would later take in Hollywood.
How Nolan Almost Took On Troy
Before the release of Batman Begins, Christopher Nolan was reportedly in the running to direct Troy, a major studio production based on Homer’s The Iliad. Although Nolan had already made his mark with Following, Memento, and Insomnia, his background was in clever, grounded mysteries more aligned with authors like Raymond Chandler than ancient Greek lore. Nolan’s approach, marked by complex timelines and narrative shifts, would have offered a distinctly different vision of this Greek epic had he been chosen.
Instead, the directorial reins were handed over to Wolfgang Petersen, a filmmaker known for large-scale action like The NeverEnding Story and The Perfect Storm. Petersen’s version of Troy brought together stars such as Brian Cox as King Agamemnon, Brendan Gleeson as King Menelaus, Peter O’Toole as Priam, Brad Pitt as Achilles, and Eric Bana as Hector. The sweeping story depicted the alliance between Greek and Spartan kingdoms against Troy, culminating in a dramatic confrontation between Achilles and Hector.
The Hollywood Spectacle That Was Troy
Building on the momentum of Gladiator’s success, Troy was given a massive budget and filmed in visually stunning locations in Malta and Morocco. Despite impressive box office returns that more than doubled its production costs, the film struggled with critics, who felt it prioritized spectacle over substance, and questioned Brad Pitt’s casting as the legendary Achilles.
Nolan’s Career After Missing Troy
The redirection in Nolan’s career proved pivotal. According to screenwriter David S. Goyer,
Batman was a consolation prize for [Nolan] because he had been developing Troy.
—David S. Goyer, Batman Begins screenwriter. When Warner Bros. chose Wolfgang Petersen for Troy, Christopher Nolan was instead offered the opportunity to direct Batman, launching him into a franchise that defined his next decade. Nolan went on to direct Batman Begins and the rest of the Dark Knight trilogy, where his signature mythic storytelling and skill with sprawling narratives found a perfect fit.
Path to Legendary Status and the Ultimate Greek Epic
The success Nolan achieved with superhero mythology in the Dark Knight trilogy paved the way for increasingly ambitious projects such as Inception and Interstellar. These films, along with the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, confirmed Nolan’s place among the most influential filmmakers of his generation. Eventually, his stature enabled him to tackle a true Greek epic: The Odyssey, set to release on July 17, 2026, and expected to be the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX cameras.
Now, with an all-star cast that reportedly includes Matt Damon and Tom Holland, Nolan’s The Odyssey is positioned to bring Homer’s legend to life in a way that could overshadow all previous cinematic renditions, potentially making Troy a mere footnote in the long history of Greek epics on film.
