Here we go, Christopher Nolan's next movie is on its way! After the whirlwind that was Oppenheimer, for his next project, the director is taking on something truly epic: an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. The scale and scope of the movie is sure to be breathtaking, as all of Nolan’s films are, and taking on such a classic (literally) project could be his biggest challenge, and largest production, yet.
The latest big news is that a trailer has finally been released online (more on that below), and we've finally gotten our first look at how epic this epic is going to be. Let's get into it!
What Is The Odyssey’s Release Date?
Universal has confirmed that The Odyssey will hit the 2026 movie schedule on July 17th, 2026.
We’re less than a year away from finally getting to see it on the big screen, including, as Nolan loves to do, a 70mm IMAX version using “brand new IMAX film technology,” as confirmed by Universal. Screenings for the opening weekend have already sold out in many markets around the world.
The Trailer Is Finally Out!
It feels like it's been a long time coming, but we finally have a teaser trailer for the world to see. The first teaser was initially presented in the summer of 2025 as a preview during screenings of Jurassic World Rebirth, and a longer trailer accompanied Avatar: Fire and Ash in December. Now, a trailer has been released online, and people are definitely talking.
Ultimately, we don't get a ton from the teaser, of course, but it's more than enough to get me and a lot of others excited. We see Damon, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as her son, Telemachus, and some exciting moments at sea. Kind of what one would expect, but it looks huge, that's for sure.
What Is The Odyssey About?
The story of Homer’s The Odyssey is, of course, well known throughout the world. Many of us, including me, read the epic poem in high school, and it is one of the foundations of Western literature and storytelling. It’s the story of Odysseus and his journey home after the Trojan War. The movie has been partially adapted before, including as the principal inspiration for the Coen Brothers’ classic O Brother Where Art Thou?
While the companion poem by Homer, The Iliad, was partially adapted as Troy, by director Wolfgang Petersen in 2004, starring Sean Bean as Odysseus, among a cast that included Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, and Diane Kruger, and many others, this will be the first straight adaptation of The Odyssey for the big screen in English, ever, if you can believe it. It has been adapted for TV before, but not for almost 30 years.
The Odyssey Cast
It’s probably no surprise that the cast of The Odyssey is completely stacked. There are dozens of characters in the poem, and by the cast list that has been revealed, it seems most of them will be played by A-listers. We’ll start with the roles that are confirmed and then move to the giant ensemble cast:
Matt Damon As Odysseus
Matt Damon will star as Odysseus in The Odyssey. Damon has worked with Nolan before, in one of the best Christopher Nolan movies, Interstellar, winning a Golden Globe for his performance. He also held a role in the large cast of Oppenheimer, so it's not that much of a surprise that one of the first stars to be set to work on this film is someone with whom Nolan has worked previously.
Tom Holland As Telemachus
We also have confirmation now that Tom Holland will be starring as Odysseus' son, Telemachus. Holland is best known for playing Spider-Man in the MCU movies, but his credits run much deeper, including 2022's Uncharted. Interestingly, Holland's next Spidey appearance will also be in the summer of 2026 in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, alongside some other actors in The Odyssey: Zendaya and Jon Bernthal.
Charlize Theron as Circe
Oscar-winner Charlize Theron will play the legendary Circe, who, if you'll remember, was responsible for turning Odysseus' crew into pigs in the story. Theron is no stranger to blockbusters, having starred in the Fast franchise, and has even made a cameo in the MCU as Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Zendaya As Athena
Zendaya will be portraying Athena, the Greek goddess of war and wisdom. This was some casting news I was excited to find out more about. Not only am I a fan of Zendaya, but Athena plays a crucial role in the epic, assisting Odysseus wherever she can during his journey.
Anne Hathaway As Penelope
This is one that I predicted when the cast list was first announced, without the corresponding characters. Anne Hathaway, who has worked with Nolan before in The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, seemed like the natural choice for Penelope, wife of Odysseus, who is stuck at home, fending off suitors and awaiting her husband's return.
2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for Hathaway. She has five movies on deck, including Mother Mary in April, The Devil Wears Prada 2 in May, and The Odyssey in July.
Robert Pattinson As Antinous
In the original poem by Homer, Antinous is one of Penelope's suitors who serves as the main (human) antagonist to Odysseus and his family. He's a nasty sort, and Robert Pattinson, who will hopefully be filming The Batman 2 when this comes out, is an inspired choice.
Jon Bernthal As Menelaus
Fresh off his return as Punisher in Daredevil: Born Again, Jon Bernthal is expected to play the king of the Spartans, Menelaus. Bernthal is always great, and there's no reason to expect he won't be again in The Odyssey, playing a pretty different role than we are used to. It was Menelaus who was responsible for the Trojan War after all; it was his wife, Helen of Troy, who ran off with Paris (who was played by Orlando Bloom in Troy), kicking off the hostilities.
John Leguizamo As Eumaeus
John Leguizamo is an interesting choice as Eumaeus, the servant and companion to Odysseus. It's an important role, and Leguizamo should be great.
Additional The Odyssey Cast Members
There is a huge cast list from several sources for The Odyssey. Here is who else you can expect to see, but may have smaller roles, or for whom we don't know specific roles, as of yet:
- Mia Goth - Melantho
- Himesh Patel - Shipmate
- Will Yun Lee - Shipmate
- Lupita Nyong’o
- Benny Safdie
- Elliot Page
- Bill Irwin
- Samantha Morton
- Jesse Garcia
- Rafi Gavron
- Shiloh Fernandez
- Corey Hawkins
- Nick Tarabay
- Jimmy Gonzales
- Maurice Compte
- Michael Vlamis
- Iddo Goldberg
- Logan Marshall-Green
- Ryan Hurst
- Jovan Adepo
The Oppenheimer cast was filled with very familiar faces, and apparently, everyone in Hollywood wants to (understandably) be part of an epic Christopher Nolan production. It’s going to be exciting to see who is playing who over the coming weeks and months, as more information is released. We’ll be sure to keep this list updated as we learn more.
Christopher Nolan Will Direct, And Also Wrote The Film
Christopher Nolan will, of course, direct, and he also wrote the screenplay for The Odyssey, as well. That’s not unusual, as he has written or co-written all but one of the films he’s directed in the past, including Oppenheimer, Interstellar, and Dunkirk. Insomnia is the one movie he hasn’t been credited with penning.
Filming Has Wrapped
Filming for The Odyssey began in February 2025, according to The Wrap, and wrapped in July. It was, as you would expect, shot all over the Mediterranean, including in Greece, Sicily, Malta, and Morocco. It also reached far-flung locations in Scotland and Iceland before finishing up in Los Angeles, according to multiple sources.
John Leguizamo, one of the cast members, spoke to MSNBC in March 2025 and said that the director’s process is more like filming “an indie movie” rather than a huge motion picture:
Dude, you know the thing is, okay he’s got a crazy budget, it’s not small, but he runs [it] like an indie film because he’s not doing it by committee, he’s not doing it by what the studio says. He’s like an indie filmmaker but with crazy money.
Earlier this year, Jesse Garcia spoke to CinemaBlend about how the process is very “intimate,” but also so big, and noted that we’re truly going to see things that we have never seen on the big screen. This is truly going to be…epic.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
