Nolan’s The Odyssey reveals tearjerking behind-the-scenes story of dog love amid 5.7 million admissions

The dog love woven into 〈The Odyssey〉 has captured audiences’ attention.

Released Aug. 5 and now enjoying a strong run at the box office, 〈The Odyssey〉 offered a behind-the-scenes look Aug. 21 at director Christopher Nolan’s love of dogs. In the film, Argos, the dog of Odysseus (Matt Damon), moved audiences to tears when he recognized his owner instantly after they were reunited for the first time in 20 years. To portray Argos as being near death, Nolan cast Sawyer, a real 15-year-old veteran canine actor. Sawyer was a retired old dog on set, but delivered a standout performance in the film and showed the gravitas of a veteran.

Nolan has called 〈The Odyssey〉 “the ultimate dog movie.” After his children left for college and moved out on their own, he began raising a dog named Charlie. While preparing 〈The Odyssey〉, he realized that “only after becoming a dog owner could I properly prepare for the ultimate dog movie.” Nolan also said that during production, he used “Charlie’s Story” as the film’s working title.

〈The Odyssey〉, which follows the journey of Odysseus, the strategist who ended the Trojan War, as he returns to his homeland, has surpassed 5.7 million moviegoers and is driving a box-office frenzy.