The Odyssey‘s ending has an unexpected easter egg connecting to a classic 1940s film. Christopher Nolan is known for crafting unforgettable and ambiguous endings in his movies. His latest movie is now out worldwide.
The Odyssey ending Easter egg connects Christopher Nolan’s film to a classic movie
During a recent interview on Josh Horowitz’s podcast, Nolan was asked which movie endings he particularly admires. The director responded with Orson Welles’s 1940 mystery drama, Citizen Kane. He also called that movie’s ending difficult to compete with.
After the conversation ended, interviewer Josh tried to shift to another question, but Nolan suddenly interrupted with a realization that had just clicked in his mind. “I’m suddenly thinking about the ending of Citizen Kane and the ending of The Odyssey and realizing… realizing how I’m trying to… yeah, anyway,” Nolan said with a laugh. He realized a surprising visual parallel between the emotional climaxes of the two films, one he had never intended while making The Odyssey.
The connection between the two endings wasn’t intentional. In fact, he admitted that it was only during the interview that he realized The Odyssey and Citizen Kane share a similar kind of ending. In the end, both films offer viewers a different perspective on the story that they have been watching all along.
Based on Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus as he struggles his way back home after the 10-year Trojan War, only to spend another 10 years lost on his journey. Back at Ithaca, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus cling to the hope that he is still alive. Along the way, he faces mythical creatures, dangerous enemies, and impossible challenges as he fights to make it back home.
Alongside Damon, The Odyssey also stars Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee, Corey Hawkins, Josh Stewart, Jimmy Gonzales, Maurice Compte, among others.
The movie is doing exceptionally well both in terms of reception and at the box office. ComingSoon also praised the film in their review, stating it was an “extraordinary achievement that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible.” At the time of writing, the film holds an extraordinary critics’ score of 98% on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Odyssey is now playing in theatres worldwide.
