The Odyssey has been one of my most anticipated 2026 movies. That being said, I rolled my eyes at the runtime of two hours and 52 minutes after I got my ticket. Christopher Nolan’s latest film isn’t his longest movie – that would be Best Picture winner Oppenheimer – but objectively, that’s too long to sit in a movie theater. That is, unless the movie earns it. Well, did The Odyssey? I have thoughts.
Is The Odyssey’s Long Runtime A Problem?
Don’t get me wrong, some of the best movies I’ve ever seen are around three hours. But, right before I go out and see one, I get kind of stressed out. I usually like to get concessions for a movie like The Odyssey. Ugh, but when the moment comes when I have to use the restroom, it’s a tough call. I then have to make the decision to sit there in pain or try to figure out the right time when I can step away.
I’ll never forget when I went to see Dune: Part One. I ended up leaving to use the facilities when a certain character dies. It kind of messed up my first viewing. And then on the other hand, buying a premium movie ticket for something that ends up being both bad and long just sucks. Or, what if I end up sitting close to someone smelly or with a severe phone addiction?
There’s an easy fix for this. I think long movies need to have intermissions like they used to in the old days. Since that doesn’t seem to be on the table, I wince at long movie runtimes. In the case of The Odyssey, I’m very happy to report that I took no issue with it. Personally, I didn’t look at my watch until two hours into it, and the last hour was awesome. (Sure, it also helps that in-movie bathroom decision gods smiled on me that evening).
Personally, I wouldn’t have cut a single scene. If anything, I would have even sat through more! I’m thinking about going to see it again, and let me tell you, that’s very much a rarity for me to say these days. Critics have also been kind to The Odyssey, with the movie currently holding a 97 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
What My CinemaBlend Colleagues Thought About The Runtime
As I mentioned before, a three-hour movie only works for me if it earns it. And, there was definitely enough within the pages of Homer’s The Odyssey for Nolan to adapt. Plus, he had to make tweaks to the source material to fit into one movie as is. I was curious about what my co-workers thought about the runtime. Here’s what a few of them said:
- “I love long movies when they are well constructed like The Odyssey. Because of the nature of the source material, the movie flows really well from scene to scene, and I don't think it drags at all.” - Hugh Scott, Syndication Editor
- “The Odyssey kept my attention for the entire 3 hours with its fast-paced storytelling and stunning visuals. If I had my way, it would have been 5 or 6 hours and split into two movies in order to more fully develop the side characters.” - Mack Rawden, Editor-In-Chief
- “I get why it's not two movies so that Nolan could end on a high note, but I thought the runtime was too long. I would definitely have taken two movies.” - Jessica Rawden, Managing Editor
- “I'm always wary of long movies; however, I didn't check my watch once watching The Odyssey. Those three hours flew by, and I was left wishing there was more time to dive even deeper into the story.” - Riley Utley, Weekend Editor
Of course, there’s a range of opinions here regarding the specifics, but overall I think we have a consensus: The Odyssey’s runtime works! If you, too, found yourself unsure about venturing to see it because of its length, I hope this helps reassure you it’s worth it. I know I would have appreciated knowing this before heading into it.
