Francis Lawrence to direct Homer’s The Odyssey

[Anna Begins]

[Lionsgate]  has seized on some free public domain writing by fast-tracking an adaption of Homer’s The Odyssey. The story follows Odysseus returning home from the Trojan War and overcoming various obstacles including sirens, the cyclops, a witch, and more. Meanwhile, back at his home in Ithaca, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must fend off suitors who believe Odysseus is dead.

 

According to Deadline, Lionsgate is bringing in Francis Lawrence to direct, Peter Craig to write, and Nina Jacobson to produce. Lawrence helmed all of the Hunger Games movies except the first one; Craig wrote both Mockingjay movies; and Jacobson has been with the franchise from the start.

The plan is to get production rolling early next year once the filmmakers have finished promotion on Mockingjay – Part 2, which means pre-production for the film will already be underway while Mockingjay is moving towards the finish line.

 

The Odyssey is a great story, and while Deadline doesn’t specify if this will be a single movie or a franchise, I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s the latter. Thankfully, The Odyssey is large enough to support more than one movie, and the characterizations are specific enough to make you care, but not so broad as to make the characters one-dimensional. There’s a lot of potential in this project, and the challenge will be making audiences go for another swords-and-sandals picture. The last time Homer was adapted into a blockbuster—2004’s Troy was based on The Iliad, which takes place before The Odyssey—it underperformed domestically, although it was a big hit overseas.

 

http://collider.com/the-hunger-games-team-adapting-the-odyssey/

[Athena]

I hope it will be good! I have seen Troy which was allright but it's not one of my favourite films. I've also seen The Odyssey, the 1997 mini-series (though I haven't seen either of these in many years). I've translated parts of the original text by Homer for my ancient Greek lessons, so I'm familiar with the story. It has the potential for a great movie.

[Timstar]

It's a great story but I can't see it being adapted well, my mind just goes straight to Clash of the Titans. I hope it proves me wrong though.