The Odyssey Has Me Wanting More Greek Stories. There's One Hitting Theaters

From left to right: Matt Damon in The Odyssey and Patrick Page in Hadestown.
(Image credit: Universal and Bleeker Street)

Whenever a new movie or show based on a Greek myth or epic comes out, I always want more, and that has certainly been the case since The Odyssey’s release on the 2026 movie schedule. Thankfully, there’s an easy way to continue taking in Greek stories on the big screen, because one week after Christopher Nolan’s film hit theaters, a proshot film of the Broadway show Hadestown will make its way to cinemas.

L to R: Matt Damon is Odysseus and Zendaya is Athena in THE ODYSSEY, written, produced, and directed by Christopher Nolan.

(Image credit: Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures)

After Watching The Odyssey, I Want To See More Greek Stories And Myths On The Big Screen

Unsurprisingly, Nolan’s book-to-screen adaptation of The Odyssey was met with great reviews, and it got the director his box office crown back. This new take on Odysseus’ journey home was indeed epic; it was immersive, and it was held together by miraculous filmmaking and jaw-dropping performances.

Overall, I haven’t stopped thinking about the film since I saw it, and it’s left me wanting more. However, I’m all caught up on Percy Jackson (which actually takes inspiration from The Odyssey in Season 2), and I want to take in another tale like this on a big screen rather than with a Disney+ subscription. So, I’m thrilled to report that a musical take on a Greek myth is making its way to theaters this week.

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Eva Noblezada touching a candel in Hadestown.

(Image credit: Bleeker Street)

Hadestown: The Musical Is Set To Have A Limited Theatrical Run

Hadestown tells the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, as they fall in love and find themselves in the Underworld, facing off against its ruler, Hades. Alongside these characters, the main cast is rounded out by Persephone, the Goddess of Spring and Queen of the Underworld, and Hermes, the God of Wit, Travelers and more. Together, they tell a tale about a journey to the Underworld and back, tapping into themes of love, trust, survival, power and more.

Obviously, like The Odyssey, this is a classic tale known by many. And like Nolan’s take on The Odyssey, this musical by Anaïs Mitchell is a unique adaptation of the myth about Orpheus and Eurydice.

I write that because Hadestown uses jazzy folk music to tell its story, and the set feels industrial, not ancient. It’s sprinkled with modernization, and it’s done so in a beautiful and accessible way.

Adding to that, the story is told by a knockout cast. For this proshot of the show that opened on Broadway in 2019, the entire set of original leads returned, with Reeve Carney as Orpheus, Eva Noblezada as Eurydice, Patrick Page as Hades, Amber Gray as Persephone and André De Shields as Hermes.

Of this cast, Page, Gray and Noblezada were nominated for Tonys, and De Shields took one home for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical. The show also earned seven other awards, including Best Musical. So, also like The Odyssey, this retelling of a beloved Greek story is critically acclaimed and absolutely stacked with talent.

Now, Hadestown will begin its run in theaters on July 23. Its final day on the big screen will be Wednesday, July 29. So, it’s sure to give you that mythology fix you might have after seeing The Odyssey.

It won’t go away after that, though. The musical is still playing on Broadway and the West End, plus there’s also an ongoing national tour. Therefore, even after it leaves the cinema, there’s plenty of opportunity to sing Hadestown songs again.

Riley Utley
Weekend Editor

Riley Utley is the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. She has written for national publications as well as daily and alt-weekly newspapers in Spokane, Washington, Syracuse, New York and Charleston, South Carolina. She graduated with her master’s degree in arts journalism and communications from the Newhouse School at Syracuse University. Since joining the CB team she has covered numerous TV shows and movies -- including her personal favorite shows Ted Lasso and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. She also has followed and consistently written about everything from Taylor Swift to Fire Country, and she's enjoyed every second of it.

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