„Draken Harald Hårfagre”: Warum in Nolans „Die Odyssee“ ein Wikingerschiff segelt

​Viking ships in *The Odyssey* seem, at first glance, to be a historical anachronism. After all, Homer’s epic is set long before the Viking Age. Nevertheless, the production team selected several Scandinavian ships for filming around the Greek and Italian islands. From a maritime perspective, the ‘Draken Harald Hårfagre’ took centre stage on the water. It was refitted for the film to serve as Odysseus’s ship and was made available to the production for around six months. Members of its crew also took part in the filming, according to their own accounts.

The design is modelled on Viking ships

​The ‘Draken Harald Hårfagre’ is not a replica of any specific historical find. According to the operators, its design is based on archaeological material, saga literature, pictorial sources and traditional Norwegian boat-building techniques. Its construction is modelled on ships from the Viking Age. ​The open, clinker-built longship has an oak hull. It is 35 metres long, 8 metres wide and features a 24-metre-high mast made of Douglas fir. The 260-square-metre square sail is made of silk. The crew can sail or row the ship.

​The ship was built in Haugesund on Norway’s west coast. After a few years of construction, it was launched. In 2014, the ‘Draken Harald Hårfagre’ sailed to the United Kingdom. In 2016, it crossed the North Atlantic. ​The project aims to test in practice what a ship of this design is capable of achieving. The insights such voyages can provide regarding navigation and seamanship, This is also illustrated by a YACHT article on how Viking seafaring can be studied today.

More about the ship and the project, read here.

​From the Viking ship to Odysseus’s boat

The British-American filmmaker Christopher Nolan prefers to use real locations, vehicles and effects in his productions. The ‘Draken Harald Hårfagre’ met this requirement, although it would be modified for its role as an ancient Greek ship.

For the production, the dragon’s head – a characteristic feature of Viking ships such as this one – was, amongst other things, removed. Modern equipment and superstructures were also adapted or dismantled. Externally, this brought the longship closer to the desired depiction of Odysseus’s fleet.

• ​Viking ship: sailing as the Norsemen once did
• ​Cruising: The Viking from Lake Constance

​Historically speaking, the types of ship are not identical. Many centuries lie between the fictional world of the *Odyssey* and the Viking Age. Nevertheless, the long, open vessels fitted with square sails share certain external similarities, which made it possible to convert them for production.

​Once filming had finished, the ‘Draken Harald Hårfagre’ returned to Norway. In July 2026, she sailed to Oslo, where she took part in the celebrations to mark the Norwegian film premiere of *The Odyssey*.

​The ‘Glad av Gillberga’ was also part of the film fleet

​In addition to the ‘Draken Harald Hårfagre’, the production team also used other historic Viking ships. These included the ‘Glad av Gillberga’. This replica, which has been in existence for around three decades, is based on a wreck dating from around 1040 that was found in Roskilde Fjord in Denmark.

​This ship, too, regularly sailed on the North Sea and the Baltic Sea, and has even crossed the Atlantic as far as Canada. It is operated by ‘Föreningen Vikingaleden’, a non-profit association based in the Swedish region of Värmland.

​According to the association, the Viking ship was returned to them in a damaged condition following the film shoot. Volunteers repaired a crack in the hull, replaced parts of the rigging and repainted the ship. The association invoiced the production company for around 6,000 US dollars to cover the cost of materials. This did not include the voluntary work carried out by the members.

​Invoices for repairs have now been paid

​Initially, the club complained that the repair costs had not been paid – and this made international headlines. Media outlets such as the British newspaper *The Guardian* reported. Universal disputed this account and stated that all invoices relating to the “Glad av Gillberga” had been paid.

​The dispute has now been settled. As Sveriges Radio As reported at the conclusion of the payment dispute, the association received the reimbursement. As things stand, all invoices have now been paid.