The entertainment event of summer 2026 is going to be the release of Christopher Nolan’s new film, The Odyssey. Regardless of if it runs riot at the box office, as expected, or if it fails to impress to create one of the biggest cinematic flops ever, it’ll dominate the entertainment conversation over the coming months.
Being based on Homer’s epic poems, the hype around The Odyssey has naturally generated a lot of interest in the whole space of Ancient Greek myths. While these are fascinating in their own right, we here in Lancashire don’t have to go far to find fantastical tales of our own. Naturally, the stakes in these stories are a little bit different.
An Eternal Fascination in Greek Myths
For centuries, people have been captivated by the tales of the great gods of the Greek pantheon who defeated the titans, brought fire to humanity, and tipped the scales of our evolution. In The Odyssey, several deities play important roles, including Athena and Poseidon, and Zeus to a lesser extent.
From their original writings, these larger-than-life characters and the setting continue to be drawn upon today. We’ve seen it in plenty of films, like Troy and Immortals, and even in much more detached arenas, like online bingo. When you play online bingo games, one stands out from the rest – Age of the Gods Bingo.
The image tile features the impactful game logo at the feet of the mighty Zeus wielding a strip of lightning. Within, the game of 90-ball bingo set within Olympus can trigger several god-tier bonuses. The Zeus, Hades, Athena, and Ares awards are the ultimate prizes in the bingo game, delivering prizes to full house winners.
Greek gods remain instantly recognisable, and thus, worth drawing from in the entertainment industry. That said, it’s the stories that truly continue to resonate. The Odyssey remains incredibly relatable, and that’s what lies at the heart of all great myths that people still like to explore today.
Great Myths of Lancashire
Folklore and superstitions helped to shape the distinct culture of early settlements and civilisations across Britain, creating important lessons in a palatable form. One such Lancastrian creature even hit the headlines in 2025 for being selected for a new stamp series from Royal Mail.
That creature is the Grindylow. The Grindylow is prevalent in old Lancashire and Yorkshire folklore, taking the form of a spindly-armed creature that would reach out from the edge of pools to grab passersby. It’s a vivid warning to those who venture too close to the edge of deep pools.
Beyond the Grindylow, mythical creatures of Lancashire are generally categorised locally as Boggarts. These cover all solitary supernatural creatures, ranging from shapeshifters and house faeries to the Clapcans. Devils and lore for devilish beings were also prevalent, leading to the idea of witchcraft being prevalent and the 1612 Pendle trials.
Indeed, the Ancient Greeks created gods and stories that have remained at the forefront of culture centuries after they were originally written, but Lancashire also has its fair share of creepy and intriguing mythical tales.
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