Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey gives UK poetry sales an epic boost

Poetry sales surpassed 8m in the first 30 weeks of 2026 and are expected to reach a record high this year thanks to blockbuster adaptation of Homer's 2,700-year-old poem

UK poetry sales are on course to reach a record high this year, buoyed by the success of Christopher Nolan's blockbuster film adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey.

Poetry sales surpassed 8m during the first 30 weeks of 2026, an increase of 13.3% on the same period last year, according to data from market researchers NielsenIQ.