{
  "id": 134485,
  "title": "Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey gives UK poetry sales an epic boost",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/christopher-nolans-the-odyssey-gives-uk-poetry-sales-an-epic-boost",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-04T15:02:20.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Guardian Business",
    "slug": "guardian-business",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/books/2026/aug/04/christopher-nolan-the-odyssey-uk-poetry-sales-boost-homer"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Poetry sales in the United Kingdom reached a record high in the first 30 weeks of 2026, reaching £8 million, with projections indicating it could surpass £15 million annually for the first time since records began. This surge in sales is largely attributed to the release of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Anne Hathaway. Following the film's release, print sales of The Odyssey increased by a staggering 1,400% in just four weeks, as of July 25, 2026. Editions of both The Odyssey and The Iliad have generated £980,000 in poetry sales, representing £1.20 for every £10 spent on poetry books in Britain. The film brought a new audience to the ancient Greek epic, accounting for a significant portion of this year's growth. Print sales of The Odyssey across all editions are up 76% this year, according to Circana BookScan figures. While this surge is primarily driven by the popularity of ancient epics and modern, social media-friendly poets, traditionalists have questioned the classification of some contemporary works as poetry. Classicist Emily Wilson criticized Nolan's adaptation, stating that it lacks depth and convincing motivation for characters. Despite this, audiobook versions of The Odyssey have seen a boost in interest, with Stephen Fry's reading entering the UK audiobook top 10.",
  "summary": "UK poetry sales have reached £8m in the first 30 weeks of 2026, a 13.3% increase from the same period last year, according to NielsenIQ. This surge is attributed to the success of Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey. The UK poetry market is now expected to reach a record high this year.\n\nThe film adaptation of The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, has grossed $912 million worldwide since its July 17 opening. Actress Samantha Morton, who plays the role of Circe in the film, has spoken about the impact of the film's success on her career. According to Business Insider, Morton has not worked for a year since filming for The Odyssey wrapped.\n\nMorton expressed that the film's reception has given her \"hope and faith\" that she can continue working as an actress, despite experiencing uncertainty in her career due to her age. She noted that she has good agents and a manager, but being 49 has made her more aware of the challenges of the acting industry.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Business Insider",
        "title": "Samantha Morton says Christopher Nolan gave her hope she could keep working at 49",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/04/samantha-morton-says-christopher-nolan-gave-her-hope-she-could-keep",
        "published": "2026-08-04T05:23:17.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}