The work of Joseph Campbell has been cited by numerous filmmakers as significant to their creative process. Academy Award nominee, Edward Norton recently discussed the role of the mythologist in his own work. "I think Joseph Campbell is right: It’s absolutely true that there are core mythic themes and archetypes that writers re-visit and re-skim to address the times we’re living in," Norton stated in an interview about the creation of his latest film,...

Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey continues to be explored by storytellers in every medium, even by subverting it. New York Times best selling author, Kel Kade's Fate of the Fallen, available from Tor Books, fulfills key aspects of the Journey and then surprises readers by intentionally veering away from what they expect in fantasy stories that have traditionally adhered to the model that Campbell cited. To learn more about Kade's project, click here.

In an article for the Chicago Tribune, photos from Wndr’s new exhibit called "All Heroes Need A Guide," give readers a glimpse into the project themed around Joseph Campbell’s “The Hero with a Thousand Faces.” The exhibit features experiential installations and guides patrons on their own hero’s journey. Tickets for "All Heroes Need A Guide" can be found here.    

Michael Lello, writing for New York Post’s website, highlights the band Alter Bridge and notes Joseph Campbell as inspiration for their new album. While working on creating a new sound for “Walk the Sky” the band drew inspiration from different sources to create music reminiscent of 80’s synth pop with all the “metal-influenced, guitar-driven hard rock,” that fans are accustomed to. One of these inspirations was Joseph Campbell. “Lyrical inspiration for the album came...

In a post for Asia One, James Mottram gives insight into the creation of James Grays’ newest film, Ad Astra, and how Gray drew from Campbell’s Hero with a Thousand Faces. He wanted his character to be mythic in his journey, "I had been very much into the mythic hero. And when I say hero, I don't mean superhero. I wanted [to write] a heroic figure in mythic terms, a flawed person, a person...

Joseph Campbell gifted us one global story that was based on thousands of myths and legends and the reason why stories such as ​Star Wars​ are so relatable are because of our universal biology. We have mirror neurons that causes our brains to learn from what we observe without actually having to experience it. By experiencing conflict within a movie, or story, our instincts are triggered and we have a form of catharsis by...

Clay Tweel’s new documentary, ​Out of Omaha,​ follows the lives of Darcell and Darrell Trotter, two black men coming of age in Omaha. As a documentary filmmaker, Tweel’s vision is to blur the lines between fictional filmmaking and documentary filmmaking and to do this, Tweel uses the same tools and techniques as Hollywood directors, which includes the employment of the Hero’s Journey. “And I think that more and more, documentary filmmakers are employing cinematic...

[caption id="attachment_1803" align="alignleft" width="261"] Jean Erdman[/caption] Jean Erdman is a magical, pioneering legend whose name I would guess doesn’t ring a bell for many of you. Yet she touched, influenced and transformed 20th century consciousness of myth and culture in modern dance and theatre in lasting ways. Dancer, choreographer and director Jean Erdman occupies a unique position with her genius for distilling human experience into abstract. A soloist with the Martha Graham Company from...

Author, Leia Marie Faith, of the Pueblo Chieftain, writes on stepping out of comfort zones and stepping into the cave of the unknown -- a journey taking us within to seek the hidden treasures of our souls. She states, “And if in that inward turning, we recognize that there is some aspect of our soul that needs tending, let us tend it now, knowing that we will be supported in the task and trusting...

Revenge of the Fans covered the building hype around the AQUAMAN film and the weight that director James Wan placed on the protagonist having his own Hero’s Journey. DC Entertainment has been making headway with the release of their new films and they have made one thing very clear, “filmmakers [can] pick and choose which elements they want to keep from the established DCU cinematic canon, and which ones they wanted to discard.” It...

Author Meaghan Mobbs of "Psychology Today", writes on the topic of American soldiers’ desire for a “baptism by fire.” She points out, “Those who join hoping for ‘baptism by fire’ but who never experience war feel sidelined in their Hero’s Journey.  Left to bear witness to glory but denied the opportunity to partake, is a population of veterans who served during a period of conflict but never in conflict.” As she describes it, a...

Paul Taylor writes a series of articles for the website LemonWire, analyzing the life of rapper Eminem, also known as Marshall Mathers, through the lens of Joseph Campbell's Hero's Journey. According to these articles, Eminem's fame and popularity comes from his outrageous lyrics and the even more outrageous created persona, Slim Shady. This controversial behavior takes the musician through an interesting Journey, televised for the world to see.   The very first article of the...

Brandon Davis writes for the website Comic Book about the Marvel superhero Thor and his flawed journey. This article (which contains spoilers on the movie Avengers: Infinity War), explains how the God of Thunder has made his fair share of mistakes throughout the many Marvel movies. His traumatic journey of battle and loss culminates in the franchise's most recent film, where everything is at stake. It's only fitting: Joseph Campbell described a hero as...

Leah Schnelbach writes for the website Tor about the heroic journey in Ursula Le Guin's book, The Farthest Shore. According to Schnelbach, Le Guin's book talks about depression in a true and reassuring way, engaging the reader while also depicting the condition perfectly. Schnelbach shares her own story with depression and explains how the world of fantasy created by Le Guin helps her cope with her past demons. This article sheds a light on the heroic journey...

Aytekin Tank writes for Tech In Asia about start-ups, and how their stories also follow the Hero's Journey. Tank evokes Joseph Campbell's teaching and lays out a condensed version of the Hero's Journey to explain the initial challenges and further hurtles an entrepreneur has to face when starting their own company. A Call to Adventure can come from a personal need, a consumer request or a market breakthrough, but regardless of it's origins, a Hero...

Fred Topel writes for the website Slash Film about the 1988 film Willow and how Joseph Campbell's wife inspired one of the film's iconic lines! Director Ron Howard tells that screenwriter Bob Dolman and him were taken by George Lucas to meet Joseph Campbell and his wife, Jean Campbell. As they dinned and talked about Willow, the couple listened with excitement and appreciation for all the mythic references that intertwine with the plot. As the...

Gloria Merrill writes for El Cerrito Patch about Richard Stromer, student of mythology with a doctorate in Mythological Studies from Pacifica Graduate Institute. Dr. Stromer is a longtime enthusiast of Joseph Campbell and his work, and gave a free seminar on "Joseph Campbell and the Religious Function of Myth."  

S. E. Williams writes about Dr. Queen Shamala Sykes and her new book, Blackbutterfly Soul Song. Williams praises Queen Shamala's book, which delves deep into her journey through searching the meaning of life. The book culminates in a powerful awakening, drawing from a very personal and exposed moment in Dr. Sykes' life, unafraid to expose herself to the readers. The writer quotes the great philosopher and mythologist Joseph Campbell when he talks about evolution towards self-discovery...

Steve Persall writes for the Center for Story and Symbol about the Star Wars saga and Luke Skywalker, a mythical character that resonates with us all. Not long before the premiere of Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Persall talks about the effect that these films have in our society and generation, and how it compares to other famous stories. Going into detailed aspects of the film, this article brings up Joseph Campbell, American author and...

Colin Marshall writes for Open Culture about the Star Wars saga, its' critics and the importance of the mythic journey. The article explain that though some may say that the films fall into cliches or implausibilities, George Lucas and Joseph Campbell argue that the galactic story's power comes from its' mythical influence and elements, which is how the film should be interpreted. It's no coincidence that Campbell and Bill Moyers conducted the first five episodes...

The etherial website Faena Aleph published an article about Joseph Campbell and how to Follow Your Bliss. According to the text, Campbell would always advice his students to cling onto whatever made them happy, and to pay attention to the world around them. Following those recommendations could lead to a path of happiness and fulfillment, which the mythologist called Bliss. The best part is, it isn't restricted to philosophers, poets or professors. Campbell affirms...

Charles Chu writes for The Polymath Project at Medium Corporations about Joseph Campbell and his reading routine. Chu goes over Campbell daily schedule in great detail, explains how the mythologist was able to read and learn so much during the five years he spent in Woodstock, New York. The article even offers a short graphic representation of the author's tactics, for inspiration on your our literary journey!

PBS SoCal published a profile on George Lucas, writer and director of the Star Wars Saga. Amongst his many influences is the mythologist Joseph Campbell. His work, including the books The Hero of a Thousand Faces and The Hero's Journey, inspired the structure of the film and various characters!