EPIC: The Musical, a viral audio retelling of The Odyssey, is becoming an animated film from producer Jerry Bruckheimer. The epic adaptation is heading to st...
- April 23, 2026
AceShowbiz - EPIC: The Musical is set to become an animated film, produced by Academy Award-nominated Jerry Bruckheimer, alongside Jorge Rivera-Herrans and Grammy Award-winning producer Kevin Weaver. The project is a film adaptation of Rivera-Herrans' acclaimed audio musical reimagining of Homer's Odyssey.
The collaboration also includes Chad Oman from Jerry Bruckheimer Films as a producer. According to The Hollywood Reporter, CAA will soon begin pitching the animated project to studios and streaming platforms, marking a significant step toward bringing this unique musical to a broader audience. The film reunites Bruckheimer and Weaver, who previously worked together on the Academy Award-nominated movie F1.
Jorge Rivera-Herrans created the original sung-through audio musical, which retells the ancient Greek epic poem The Odyssey. He began the project in 2019 while studying at the University of Notre Dame, where he shifted his academic focus from medicine to film, theater, television, and music. Rivera-Herrans documented his progress on social media starting in 2021, with a viral clip of the song "Full Speed Ahead."
The musical is divided into nine sagas, with the first, titled The Ocean Saga, released in 2023. Subsequent sagas have been released every few months, culminating with the final saga arriving in December 2024. Rivera-Herrans himself performed the role of Odysseus and assembled a global cast of 25 performers by holding online auditions.
The reception for EPIC: The Musical has been impressive. Eight of its sagas reached the top three positions on Billboard's Cast Albums chart, including four that hit No. 1. Following a Billboard policy update in late 2024, which moved concept albums not tied to a theatrical production from the Cast Albums chart to the Compilation Albums chart, the final two chapters of EPIC topped the latter.
Since its debut, the musical has amassed over 4 billion streams worldwide and generated more than 7 billion short-form video views, indicating its massive popularity across multiple platforms.
In addition to the digital releases, Rivera-Herrans offered a limited-edition collectible in September: a $350 nine-vinyl EP set featuring holographic packaging, providing fans with a premium physical version of the musical.
This animated adaptation promises to bring EPIC: The Musical to life visually, expanding the reach of Rivera-Herrans' innovative retelling of a classic tale, with the support of industry veterans like Jerry Bruckheimer and Kevin Weaver. Fans and new audiences alike can look forward to experiencing this epic journey in a new format in the coming years.
This article is based on reporting originally published by Billboard.