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During that early pre-production period, Nolan conceived an image of the Trojan horse listing in the sand, which he subsequently integrated into this current film.
"It stuck with me," said Nolan.
The script utilizes contemporary phrasing to keep the narrative grounded, a creative choice the director viewed as essential for the adaptation.
"It's a powerful image I really wanted to film," said Nolan.
The production features a star-laden ensemble cast, including Jon Bernthal as King Menelaus, Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy, and Zendaya as Athena.
"I was maybe being naïve, it might bite me on the ass, but I wanted an earthy narrative," said Nolan.
"To me it was a no-brainer."
Nolan cast well-known performers in these iconic mythological roles to help modern audiences quickly connect with the ancient characters.
"These are mythological figures, iconic in some ways," said Nolan.
Actor Matt Damon was selected to portray the lead character Odysseus, marking his third collaboration with Nolan after roles in "Interstellar" and "Oppenheimer."
"I wanted to cast it big, get the finest bunch of actors," said Nolan.
The director stated that he generally avoids writing screenplays with specific actors in mind because it can limit the creative process.
"It's limiting," said Nolan.
Nolan explained that Damon possesses a strong connection with audiences, which helps them follow a highly complex character who makes numerous mistakes.
"I'd worked with Matt twice before and he has such a great connection to the audience, he draws them in," explained Nolan.
