Homer in the 21st Century: Review Competitions

Review Competitions for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey and Jeff Wright's The Full Disclosure Iliad

Epic Threads is pleased to announce two new review competitions centered on contemporary engagements with Homeric epic.

We invite submissions from scholars, advanced students, educators, writers, devoted fans of Homer, and other thoughtful readers and viewers who wish to engage critically and creatively with two major new interpretations of the Homeric tradition.

The first competition focuses on Christopher Nolan's forthcoming film adaptation of The Odyssey, scheduled for worldwide release on July 17, 2026.

The second focuses on Jeff Wright's recently published book, The Full Disclosure Iliad. Wright is widely known throughout North America for his acclaimed Trojan War and Odyssey podcasts and recently presented his work at the University of Waterloo's Homer Appreciation Day.

Whether you approach these works as a Classicist, a student of literature, a creative writer, a film enthusiast, or simply a passionate reader of Homer, we encourage you to share your perspective.

Review Competition #1: Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey is expected to become one of the most widely discussed modern engagements with Homer in recent decades. Epic Threads invites reviews that thoughtfully examine Nolan's interpretation of the Odyssey, its relationship to ancient sources, its engagement with modern scholarship, and its success as both a film and a contemporary retelling of Homer's epic.

Review Competition #2: Jeff Wright's The Full Disclosure Iliad

Jeff Wright's The Full Disclosure Iliad offers a bold and imaginative engagement with the Trojan War tradition with classical material rearranged into one continuous story and the conclusion of each chapter offering deeper insight into the source material. Epic Threads invites reviews that assess Wright's interpretation of Homeric material, his creative decisions, his use of ancient and modern sources, and the effectiveness of his work in bringing the world of the Iliad to contemporary readers.

What We Are Looking For

We are interested in reviews that move beyond simply identifying differences between modern adaptations and ancient texts.

Successful reviews may consider questions such as:

  • How thoughtfully does the creator engage with Homeric epic?
  • How creatively is ancient material adapted for modern audiences?
  • What themes, characters, or episodes are emphasized, altered, or omitted?
  • How effectively does the work communicate Homeric ideas to contemporary readers or viewers?
  • What broader contribution does the work make to modern receptions of antiquity?

Changes to Homer's narratives are not automatically strengths or weaknesses. We encourage reviewers to evaluate what the creator sought to accomplish and how successfully those goals were achieved.

We are not interested in reviews that merely catalogue "errors" or discrepancies between modern adaptations and ancient texts. Rather, we seek thoughtful assessments of what the creator has achieved and how effectively the work speaks to its intended audience.

At the same time, we generally favour well-argued critical assessments over uncritical praise. Reviews should be analytical, balanced, and supported by evidence.

Submission Requirements

Reviews should:

  • Be between 800 and 1,200 words.
  • Focus on either Nolan's The Odyssey or Wright's The Full Disclosure Iliad.
  • Carefully reference the work under discussion and any relevant ancient or modern sources.
  • Demonstrate thoughtful engagement with both the adaptation and its broader context.
  • Be written in a clear, accessible, and professional style.

All submissions will be considered for publication and will undergo Epic Threads' standard multi-layered editorial review process.

Prizes

Epic Threads will award up to five prizes of CAD $100 each (Amazon gift cards) for the strongest submissions.

Reviews will be adjudicated by jurors drawn from among students with knowledge of Homer and experience in creative writing, supported by Classicists and other subject specialists.

Multiple reviews may ultimately be selected for publication.

Important Dates

  • Release of Jeff Wright's The Full Disclosure Iliad: May 26, 2026
  • Release of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey: July 17, 2026
  • Review Submission Deadline: August 7, 2026, 11:59 PM EDT (Waterloo/Toronto time)
  • Feedback and Adjudication: August 21, 2026
  • Revision Requests: Late August 2026
  • Planned Publication in Epic Threads: September 1, 2026

Recommended Resources

The following works may be helpful for reviewers:

  • Christensen, Joel. The Many-Minded Man: The Odyssey, Psychology, and the Therapy of Epic. Ithaca, 2020.
  • Renger, Almut-Barbara and Jon Solomon (eds.). Ancient Worlds in Film and Television: Gender and Politics. Leiden, 2013.
  • Winkler, Martin M. (ed.). Troy: From Homer's Iliad to Hollywood Epic. Malden, MA, 2007.
  • Wright, Jeff. The Full Disclosure Iliad. Presentation at Homer Appreciation Day, University of Waterloo, April 24, 2026.

Reviewers are also encouraged to consult Homer's Iliad and Odyssey directly, together with relevant modern scholarship.

Submit Your Review

Questions, comments, and completed submissions may be directed to the Epic Threads editorial team at epicthreadsjournal@gmail.com.

We look forward to receiving thoughtful, engaging, and insightful reviews that explore how Homer continues to inspire new forms of storytelling in the twenty-first century.

Madelynne Parish & Mary Harper
Co-Editors-in-Chief, Epic Threads

Dr. Altay Coskun & Dr. Andrew Faulkner
Academic Advisors