The Odyssey has sparked an increase in people learning Greek, it has emerged.
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek classic recently hit cinemas, proving to be a huge hit with critics and at the box office, becoming the biggest live-action film of the year so far.
The story depicts the tale of Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, and his years-long journey home from the Trojan War.
It has now been revealed that there has been a spike in people searching for “learn Greek”, according to Google Trends (via Preply and The Times), with a rise of 550 per cent in a month and 6,000 monthly searches.
This is likely due to audience interest in connecting with the mythology, landscapes, and history of the new film, experts have said.
“Homer’s Odyssey was composed in ancient Greek, which differs significantly from the language spoken in Greece today,” said Preply language trends expert Madeline Enos.
“Ancient Greek offers the opportunity to engage more closely with Homer’s original text and the wider classical world, while modern Greek can help people connect with contemporary Greek culture and communicate with speakers today.”
Enos added: “Whether someone is curious about the language of Homer or the Greek spoken today, that initial spark can lead to a deeper understanding of Greece’s linguistic and cultural heritage.”
The Odyssey has further sparked renewed interest in Homer’s original text, with a 70 per cent increase in sales this year compared to 2025, with 40,000 copies sold – 5,000 of which were bought in the week before the film’s release.
Meanwhile, Greek cinemagoers have been interviewed after seeing The Odyssey, with a report by The New York Times from an opening night screening in Athens showing a positive reception.
In other news, the owners of a Viking boat used during production have claimed that damage inflicted on it during filming is yet to be paid for. The allege that studio Universal did not respond to an invoice of $6,000 (£4,500) for materials used in its repair.
The studio said in response: “Our records show that all invoices relating to the Glad av Gillberga were paid in full, including repairs. The studio and the production have contacted the association to clear up any misunderstanding.”
In a glowing five-star review of the film, NME wrote: “Less a case of them not making ‘em like they used to, watching the film leaves you with a sense that this sort of thing probably won’t be made at all for too much longer – the sheer scale, ambition and weight of it seeming to belong to a different world already. It’s hard to see how cinema can get much bigger than this.”
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