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Next month, Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster version of The Odyssey is scheduled to be released in cinemas around the world. Auguries show that the drama of about three hours will repeat the success of Nolan’s previous film both in the box office (Oppenheimer took almost a billion dollars) and the Academy Awards (it won seven Oscars).
But before that, a new audiobook version of Homer’s story has been released featuring one of Nolan’s frequent collaborators: Michael Cainewho starred in eight films, including the Dark Knight Trilogy.
Caine, now 93, announced his retirement at the Red Sea film festival in Saudi Arabia last December. It was the fourth time he has done itand it seems unlikely that it will be rebuilt like the previous trilogy, especially because of the agreement that the actor recently signed to license his AI voice.
In November 2025, Caine and Matthew McConaughey became superstars enter and ElevenLabs, an $11bn audio AI and voice production company that enables brands, studios and producers to borrow popular voices from the Iconic Voice Marketplace.
Such devices mean that even death will not wither the ability of A-listers to appear in new commercials, movies or on GPS devices, because the license can continue – pending approval of the location – forever.
The 13-hour Odyssey audiobook is launched by ElevenLabs and is billed as “the company’s first multicast audiobook, including Sir Michael Caine™’s AI-certified audio, full voiceover, original music and immersive sound design”.
As Nolan’s show continues Emily Wilson’s 2017 translation for inspiration, ElevenLabs used words translated by William Cullen Bryant in the 1870s. They confirmed that there were no academics, but confirming the correct pronunciation of the characters’ names was a “difficult task”.
In his speech, Caine described the poem as “one of the greatest stories ever told.” For nearly 3,000 years, its themes of perseverance, loyalty, trials and the constant call to the village have touched cultures and generations.
“Combining ancient mythology with modern technology, this timeless classic is reimagined for modern audiences, brought back to life through ElevenReader’s cutting-edge technology. The Odyssey.”
Caine’s participation was limited to his advice last year, and to fulfill his AI statement. Dustin Blank, who heads the partnership at ElevenLabs, praised the player’s foresight in signing the contract with the company. “Bravo to him for realizing this is where technology is going,” Blank told the Guardian. “He’s a leader in this area because he’s been a part of creating the first steps and his legacy.”
Some of the voice actors appearing in the audiobook are unofficial, and only learned about their participation after the project was over, where they were paid according to the number of letters of the alphabet that their voice spoke. So far, about 22 million people have been paid this way. Members of the company’s Iconic range, however, have the ability to restrict the work in which their voices appear.
Support members were “tested” from the library, says Blank. For Athena, for example, the designers were looking for a “smart, but subtle” expression. When one was identified, “we really felt that person. And they brought that voice to life on the page”.
In the opening chapter – which is available to listen to for free – Caine describes it impressively as the tone of the same genre: calmness, dignity and respect. His speech is much more similar than perhaps would come with traditional practices, and more than some of the words used (especially the fruity Zeus).
There is no indication of the vernacular origin of this poem – which was written around 725-675BC – giving credence to their idea of creating a new genre using code-prompting.
“This story has been around for thousands of years,” he said. So we see this as a continuation.”
The production took six weeks, which ElevenLabs says represents the pursuit of “months of animation, photography, sound design, and post-production”.
Those who criticize the company for cutting production and dangerous jobs are missing the point. “Human intelligence is making these decisions and putting those things together,” says Blank, “and we’re hiring other kinds of jobs to support that.”
He also said: “It will also allow more things to enter the government and more money to enter these areas.” The goal is that, with this technology in the hands of many people, there will be more products and more people will be able to enter the door.
Future projects are still being discussed, and some audiobook versions of the official soundtracks released for popular new movies – such as the upcoming Dune 3 and Netflix’s Pride & Prejudice – may set an example. “We’ve played some of them and we’re thinking about who we want to throw,” Blank said.
“It should be something that pushes the ball forward, not AI for AI’s sake.”
Blank also said the company would be open to big-name managers who would be in charge of decision-making and mixing, as well as unconventional products, such as gender-changing models: “I like the idea – and we should.”
Caine is a six-time Oscar nominee and two-time winner, whose roles in films including Alfie, Get Carter, Zulu, The Man Who Would Be King, Sleuth, Educating Rita, Hannah and Her Sister, Miss Congeniality, The Cider House Rules, Youth and A Muppet Christmas Carol have established him as one of the world’s leading actors – both leading and successful.
A veteran of more than 150 films, he has been outspoken about promoting commercial pragmatism in creative pursuits. Regarding his participation in the strongest Jaws: The Revenge (1987), for which he received $ 1m for two days’ work, he famously said: “I have never seen this film, but in all history it is terrible.
Caine retired in 2009, after the crime drama Harry Brown, then, 24 films later, in 2021, after starring as a novelist in Best Sellers. He returned to the small Czech Medieval drama in 2022, and the following year he starred in The Great Escape as a D-day veteran who travels to Normandy alone from his 70-year-old nursing home, where he won rave reviews.
Although Caine told Radio 4 that it would be his last film, he made a suggestion Guardian He will soon shoot a biopic of Charles Darwin. “And so it shall be. I will not do anything else after that.” Asked if he was sure, Caine said: “No, but the point is, he can do you do that? Do you remember all the lines? I’m used to not working and staying in bed until 11am and staying out at night. It makes me happy.”
Anthony Hopkins has been announced as the star of the Darwin film, which is currently in production, while Caine is back as a priest in The Last Witch Hunter 2, helping Vin Diesel’s immortal hero, again seemingly out of sight.
While Caine provided commentary for his 2010 and 2018 voice-overs, Eddie Marsden took over the role for 2024’s Don’t Look Back, You’ll Go Again: My Life Advice, and the voice-over version of Caine’s first novel, the thriller Deadly Game, in 2023.
However, Caine has lent a non-AI voice to a short film, Bobby, which is set to premiere this fall. The screenwriter, Isabella Webber, told the Guardian that Caine wrote the story with her in her London room a month before signing the deal with ElevenLabs.
Caine reads aloud a poem written especially for the film, which is based on the story of a man who moves to Dunkirk in his boat to help rescue soldiers.
Webber said he decided to ask Caine after hearing him talk about his father’s Dunkirk on a podcast. After hooking up with Caine’s wife, Shakira, Webber was told that Caine was interested, but due to his age and health, he would not be able to date.
“I had a script and a microphone in my bag and I didn’t leave Chelsea Harbor (where Caine lives) for about three weeks,” Webber said. “Then one day I got a call and went to his house.” Sitting on the sofa watching Sky Sports, Webber showed him the script. “And the moment I found myself in his presence, he just lit up.” We sat together for an hour while he read the poem.
Allowing actors to recoup their paychecks, says Webber. “They gave me so many different interpretations and tones. The look and feel of a play can express so many different things. When actors do things you don’t expect, and in a way you don’t expect, it elevates the script to another league. It’s not just a voice; it’s a lifetime experience.”
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In between takes, Caine recounts stories his father told him about the war, which set the tone for the rest of the film’s narrative. Webber hopes it will last forever.
The trailer features Caine’s voice: calm, funny, imperfect and very polite. Webber said: “Humanity and fun accidents will bring you things you couldn’t have predicted. “Even the thing about AI is that everything is possible.”
