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The Odyssey · written by Christopher Nolan · 2026
Scene 9 of 199 · ≈ 5 min on screen · Act one
Twenty years after leaving for the Trojan War, Odysseus fights his way home across a hostile sea only to find his kingdom overrun — and must return in disguise to reclaim his wife, his son, and his throne from the suitors laying siege to his house.
Black screen, a bard's chant — "a time of apparent magic" — sets the tone of myth about to be tested by memory.
Over the half-buried Wooden Horse on the tide, the bard says the trick will "break the walls of Troy."
The bard vows the trick will "burn it screaming to the ground" as he brings down his staff.
Trojans capture the lone soldier Sinon guarding the Horse and torture him for its meaning; he claims it as an offering to Athena and they spare him, hauling the Horse toward the city.
This scene
The Bard SHOULDERS HIS STAFF. The ROWDY CROWD QUIETS. All eyes turn to the source of the shout -- a FLICKERING SILHOUETTE behind a WOODEN SCREEN at the top of the stairs, seated at her work. This is PENELOPE. She RISES...
PENELOPE
Not this song!
A Young Man (twenty) seated off to one side SCRAMBLES TO HIS FEET. This is TELEMACHUS.
VARIOUS
Uh-oh! Mommy's mad! Run, run!
RAUCOUS LAUGHTER as Telemachus mounts the stairs, SIDLES UP TO THE SCREEN like a confessional, SPEAKING SOFTLY --
TELEMACHUS
I want to remind them whose wine they're drinking.
PENELOPE
I don't want Odysseus's song -- I want Odysseus.
TELEMACHUS
Then why do you entertain suitors in his house? Night after night?
PENELOPE
In this world a man does what he chooses. I do what I can.
TELEMACHUS
I'm a man, now, Mom.
PENELOPE
So throw them out. Break Zeus's law, and see what they do to you if you give them that excuse.
Telemachus looks across the raucous CROWD OF SUITORS FEASTING.
PENELOPE (CONT'D)
I've already lost a husband, I don't want to lose a son.
TELEMACHUS
Dad's coming back.
PENELOPE
Then where is he? Eight years since Troy fell. Almost twenty since he left us. Where is he?
At the sound of JEERS and SHOUTS, Telemachus turns to see a BEGGAR at the door kicked by one of the Suitors... Telemachus hurries down the stairs and across the hall --
TELEMACHUS
We have to welcome him like we welcomed all of you!
One of the Suitors bullying the Beggar turns on Telemachus. This is POLYBUS (thirties, large, threatening).
POLYBUS
Are you calling us beggars?
TELEMACHUS
I'm saying you've been welcome here... For three years.
MALE VOICE (O.S.)
We've only enjoyed your hospitality for so long...
Telemachus turns. ANTINOUS (thirties, handsome, charismatic), RISES from his place.
ANTINOUS
Because your mother won't choose.
TELEMACHUS
She's already married.
ANTINOUS
Odysseus is dead.
TELEMACHUS
What do you know about my dad?
Antinous TOSSES BACK HIS DRINK and picks his teeth.
ANTINOUS
I know he kept stringy cattle and bad wine.
TELEMACHUS
You had the best of it the first two seasons.
ANTINOUS
And I know he never came home.
TELEMACHUS
Not yet.
With a GLANCE AT PENELOPE'S LISTENING SILHOUETTE, Antinous leans in, DISCREET...
ANTINOUS
Pining for a daddy you didn't even know like some sniveling bastard.
Telemachus weighs the insult.
TELEMACHUS
None of us can really know who our fathers are. Not even you. So don't claim to know mine.
ANTINOUS
But I did...
INSERT CUT: TEENAGE ANTINOUS, AMONGST OTHER YOUNGSTERS, CROUCHES IN THE BUSHES, CLUTCHING AN ARROW. AN OPEN HAND REACHES BACK -- ALL THE TEENAGE BOYS RUSH TO HAND IT AN ARROW. THE HAND TAKES IT FROM THE BOY NEXT TO ANTINOUS...
ANTINOUS (CONT'D)
As boys, we watched him hunt. I tried to volunteer for his expedition to Troy, but he told me to stay here and keep an eye on you.
TELEMACHUS
On me or my mother?
Antinous glances at Penelope's silhouette, GRINS.
ANTINOUS
You can't blame me for looking.
TELEMACHUS
My dad's coming home. And his hospitality won't be as generous as hers.
ANTINOUS
(amused)
He doesn't follow Zeus's law?
TELEMACHUS
Zeus's law tells us to treat strangers as we'd be treated because they might be Gods in disguise. I think we've established you're not a God, Antinous.
Polybus lifts the Beggar's ragged robe...
POLYBUS
He doesn't smell like a God.
TELEMACHUS
It wouldn't be much of a disguise if he did...
Telemachus takes the Beggar by the arm.
TELEMACHUS (CONT'D)
Careful, he might strike you down right now.
THUNDER ECHOES THROUGH THE HALLS... Polybus stands down. The crowd QUIETS. Telemachus LEADS THE BEGGAR to his own table, off to the side.
BEGGAR
That thunder was luck.
Telemachus peers into the GREY EYES OF THE STRANGER...
TELEMACHUS
I don't know, you have wise eyes. Athena's eyes.
The Beggar SMILES. Shakes his head.
TELEMACHUS (CONT'D)
Sit. Eat.
BEGGAR
Thank you.
The Beggar starts to eat, HUNGRILY.
TELEMACHUS
You sailed with traders?
BEGGAR
From Sparta.
TELEMACHUS
Has Menelaus come home from the war?
BEGGAR
Years ago. Odysseus never came back?
TELEMACHUS
We don't even know if he's alive. Have you heard anything?
BEGGAR
The song of how he won the war.
TELEMACHUS
We've all heard that. Nothing else?
BEGGAR
No, but Sparta's full of Trojan War veterans -- someone'll know something.
The Beggar studies Telemachus with KIND EYES.
BEGGAR (CONT'D)
You're Odysseus's son? Go to Sparta. Go see Menelaus -- he'd welcome you.
Telemachus considers this. A maid, MELANTHO, APPROACHES.
MELANTHO
The Queen wants to speak to the stranger.
The Beggar, SURPRISED, looks at Telemachus.
TELEMACHUS
She lives for news.
The Beggar nods, RISES. Telemachus GRABS HIS HAND.
TELEMACHUS (CONT'D)
Just don't try to give her false hope. She has some way of knowing whether a person has actually seen Odysseus. See that man?
The Beggar looks at a ROUGH OLDER MAN sitting at the side, listening WITHOUT SEEING. This is EUMAEUS.
TELEMACHUS (CONT'D)
My dad's most loyal worker. He can't see much any more...
By FEEL, Eumaeus offers a CHOP to an ELDERLY DOG, ARGUS.
TELEMACHUS (CONT'D)
But that doesn't stop him beating travelers to death in exchange for lies about my father.
The Beggar, NERVOUS, is led to sit on the stairs IN FRONT OF THE SCREEN by Penelope's SILHOUETTE AT HER LOOM.