A well-known book every University Academy junior reads in English class, “The Odyssey,” is coming out with a new movie version on July 17.
In the film, Matt Damon is Odysseus, Tom Holland plays Telemachus, and Anne Hathaway will be Penelope.
The story starts at the conclusion of the Trojan War, and it follows Odysseus as he is trying to get home to Ithaca. He comes across exciting adventures including characters like the cyclops, sirens, and much more along the way.
“The monsters are mythical. They’re not basic generic monsters like ghosts. They’re actual mythical monsters,” said My’Kise Spearman Smith, a UA senior.
Odysseus’ challenging journey home lasts for 10 years. The new movie will not only retell the story in a different format but will surely capture attention from the audience and those who have read “The Odyssey”.
Dr. Leah Edens is the Upper School English teacher who guides UA students through reading “The Odyssey” in their junior year. She chose it because it’s one of the classic books read world wide and is an important “cultural touchstone.”
“A considerable number of references that we hear or read out in the world originate from this text,” she said.
While the book is a difficult read and challenges UA students, Dr. Edens enjoys seeing how much the students engage with the story.
“They are invested in the adventures and what is happening not just to the hero but to all the other more minor characters,” she said. “They definitely like to add their own commentary about what’s going on, which is always entertaining.”
Dr. Edens said she has had many UA alum contact her saying they’re excited to see the new movie. She also said she is “aggravated” that it’s being released in July and not May, when she could have taken students on a field trip to see it.
Now the question is: Will the book be adapted into a movie successfully?
“Based on the older film, I feel that the newer film should be able to adapt to ‘The Odyssey’ more accurately,” Spearman-Smith said.
The older film, released in 1997, is what Dr. Edens has been showing in her classes while reading “The Odyssey.”
Even though the story originated long ago, many points in it are still applicable today. Dr. Edens said one of these points teaches readers not to “make your life harder through your own conscious decisions and then complain about it being hard.”
For the juniors and seniors who have read “The Odyssey,” head to theaters this July to check out the brand new movie. For freshmen and sophomores, look forward to reading “The Odyssey” and experiencing this timeless story.
