What Happens After 'The Odyssey'? The Telegony, Explained

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey (2026) adapts Homer's epic poem, telling the story of Odysseus' arduous, decade-long journey home after the Trojan War. Everyone knows the story, and if they don't, they at least know the many trials he experienced, but what many people don't know is that the story doesn't end there—because another ancient poem serves as a sequel, telling us what happens after Odysseus' return to Ithaca. That poem is called The Telegony, and the story that unfolds will surely surprise a lot of new Odyssey fans.

What Happens In 'The Telegony'? The Odyssey's Lost Sequel, Explained

The Telegony is a story that's often forgotten and even lost by some accounts, with only a surviving summary that details the key events of the poem. It's very much a sequel to Homer's epic tale, with Odysseus, Telemachus, Penelope and Circe all featuring throughout the story. The Telegony even builds on events from Homer's poem, and in the true spirit of any great Greek myth, things get really messy.

The Telegony explores the later years of Odysseus' life following his long adventure to be reunited with Penelope. After hearing a new prophecy, he journies to a new island, Thesprotia, and weds a queen named Callidice. Eventually, Odysseus and Callidice even have a son together called Polypoetes.

While on the island of Thesprotia, Odysseus fights in battles before eventually returning home to Ithaca (and his long-suffering wife, Penelope). Callidice has died, and Polypoetes is left on the island and named King of Thesprotia.

The Telegony also explores the story of Telegonus, the son of Odysseus and Circe—who is the namesake of the poem. The tragedy of the story revolves around the young man, who is given a spear made by Hephaestus and tipped with a stingray stinger before his journey to find his father.

When a storm leaves Telegonus washed up on the shores of Ithaca, he begins to steal cattle, and he's confronted by Odysseus—although Telegonus is unaware of his identity. Their confrontation leads to Telegonus killing his father, only realizing who he really is once it's too late. The story ends with Telegonus and Penelope taking Odysseus' body back to Circe's island. Surprisingly, at least for fans of Christopher Nolan's movie who are unfamiliar with Homer's poem, Telegonus marries Penelope while Telemachus marries Circe.

This makes Odysseus' family tree pretty confusing, but that's not uncommon in Greek mythology. Telemachus marrying Circe, and Telegonus marrying Penelope, means these two sons of Odysseus married their father's ex-partner (and each other's mothers.) It means, technically, that Penelope & Circe become mother-in-laws to each other, Telemachus’ half-brother is also his father-in-law, and Penelope’s own son becomes her father-in-law.

Okay, that's enough Greek mythology for today.

Can 'The Telegony' Be Considered A "Real" Continuation Of Homer's Story?

There's a lot of mystery surrounding The Telegony, including who actually wrote the piece. Only two lines survive from the original text, and it has been assumed that either Eugammon of Cyrene or Cinaethon of Sparta possibly wrote it. The one thing we do know is that Homer, whose existence as one writer is also disputed by some historians, was not the one to write it.

So The Telegony falls into a grey area, with some readers rejecting its legitimacy as a true continuation of what happens after The Odyssey. There are also countless reinterpretations and changes to the narrative that have come about, such as Odysseus' revival and the deaths of Circe and Telemachus. Then, there's the fact that Odysseus married another while still being with Penelope. For some readers, these details go against just how devoted Odysseus was to his wife, Penelope, who waited years for her husband to return home—although if anything were to separate them, it'd surely be a prophecy like the one in The Telegony.

Will Christopher Nolan Ever Make A Sequel To 'The Odyssey'?

Even though The Telegony continues Odysseus' story, there hasn't been any word from Christopher Nolan about the possibility of a sequel to The Odyssey. At the time of writing, it is definitively a standalone, one-and-done adaptation of one of the most important works of literature of all time. Similarly, there hasn't been much (or any) movement from Nolan fans rallying for a sequel.

So it seems that Nolan's brush with Odysseus, Penelope and Telemachus really does end with The Odyssey. But if you are interested in seeing another movie that's loosely connected to The Odyssey, you might want to revisit the 2004 adventure movie, Troy. This is because, as this guide explains in more detail, Troy is based on The Iliad, Homer's poem that preceded The Odyssey.