As casting announcements continue to roll in, speculation and excitement has only grown surrounding Christopher Nolan‘s follow-up to his critical and box office hit “Oppenheimer,” which won him the Academy Award for best director.
“The Odyssey” is a classic piece of literature by Homer that is divided between 24 different books, preceded by “The Iliad.” It tells the 10-year journey story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, as he travels home after the Trojan War. Along the way, he encounters multiple perils and discovers the death of his crewmates. Telemachus (Odysseus’ son), Penelope (Odysseus’ wife), Athena, Circe, Poseidon and Zeus are all major characters.
Historians and scholars date “The Odyssey” to sometime between 750-650 BC. The first printed Greek version became available in 1488. In the centuries since, it has remained one of the most studied, adapted and parodied stories ever with adaptations including the 1911 silent film by Giuseppe de Liguoro, 1954’s “Ulysses” with Kirk Douglas and the 2000 Coen brothers comedy “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
With a new adaptation on the horizon, here is everything we know so far about Nolan’s take on “The Odyssey.”
Have any photos been released from the film?
Universal shared the first official image from the film on X, with the caption reading: “Matt Damon is Odysseus. A film by Christopher Nolan, #TheOdysseyMovie is in theaters July 17, 2026.”
Universal
The post confirms that Matt Damon will play the lead role of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, while Universal has yet to reveal who else from the large cast will play which character.
Who are the latest additions to the cast?
Elliot Page (“Inception”), Himesh Patel (“Tenet”), Bill Irwin (“Interstellar”) and Samantha Morton (“Minority Report”) are the latest additions to “The Odyssey” cast, joining Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Rafi Gavron and Shiloh Fernandez, among many others.
Goth is known for her recent scream queen roles in “MaXXXine” and “Pearl,” along with Luca Guadagnino’s “Suspiria,” “Infinity Pool” and “A Cure for Wellness.” Leguizamo has acted for multiple decades, earning Emmy nods for “When They See Us” and “Waco” and also appearing in “Encanto,” “Romeo + Juliet,” “John Wick” and “The Menu.”
Gavron was in “A Star is Born” opposite Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. He got his breakout in Anthony Minghella’s film “Breaking and Entering” alongside Jude Law and Juliette Binoche. Meanwhile, Fernandez is known for roles in “Evil Dead,” “Euphoria” and “United States of Tara.”
Who else is cast in the film and have they worked with Nolan before?
Like the all-star cast that was assembled for “Oppenheimer” (and resulted in a best ensemble win at the Screen Actors Guild awards), “The Odyssey” is already filled with major talent in Hollywood. In addition to the newest additions, confirmed names include Damon, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie and Jon Bernthal. However, aside from Damon, it remains unclear who will play which role, leaving it up to fans to speculate at the moment.
New additions Page, Patel and Irwin have all worked with Nolan before — notably, Irwin voiced TARS the robot in “Interstellar.” Damon most recently appeared in “Oppenheimer” as Lt. General Leslie Groves after his under-the-radar appearance in “Interstellar.” Pattinson appeared in “Tenet” as Neil, alongside John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki. Going back a little farther, Hathaway had a supporting role as an astronaut in “Interstellar” and Catwoman in “The Dark Knight Rises,” marking just over 10 years since her last time working with Nolan.
For Holland, Zendaya, Nyong’o and Theron, “The Odyssey” marks their first time collaborating with Nolan. Holland and Zendaya, who are a real-life couple, will reunite on screen after the Marvel “Spider-Man” films.
Has any footage from the film been revealed?
Not yet, although Universal’s distribution chief Jim Orr teased the film at CinemaCon. He told attendees that the film will be “a visionary, once-in-a-generation cinematic masterpiece that Homer himself would quite likely be proud of.” He described it as “propulsive” and “modern” with an “out of this world twist.”
A few actors have spoken out about the film, too, including cast member Leguizamo, who said that Nolan has made the production feel independent. “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,” Leguizamo said in a recent interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
How will the film be shot?
According to a social media post from Universal Pictures, “The Odyssey” will be “shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology.” Nolan’s craft has become synonymous with Imax as “Oppenheimer,” “Dunkirk,” “Tenet” and “Interstellar,” the latter of which was re-released to much success for its 10th anniversary, were all shot with Imax cameras.
Where will be the film be shot?
As Variety exclusively reported, the film will be partly filmed in Sicily, which is notable for being a location for Odysseus’ wanderings in the epic. Shooting there is expected to begin in spring 2025 on the island of Favignana, considered the “goat island,” which many believe to be the place where Homer visualized Odysseus landing with his crew. As Nolan has built a fanbase with his care for practical effects and sets, it’s no surprise that sources have confirmed that the film is likely using some of its budget for shooting on the Sicily islands. Other announced locations for the film include the U.K., Morocco, Scotland and Ireland, making “The Odyssey” a global shoot.
Who else is creatively involved?
Nolan is also writing and producing the film, reuniting with his longtime producing and life partner Emma Thomas, who won the Best Picture Oscar for “Oppenheimer” alongside Nolan. Italy’s Wildside, a Fremantle company, is servicing the Sicily portion of the filming.
How faithful will this adaptation be to ‘The Odyssey’?
It remains unclear how closely Nolan intends on following Homer’s famous story, although the social media post from Universal Pictures teases “a mythic action epic shot across the world.”
When is the film set to release?
The film is set to release worldwide on July 17, 2026 in theaters after a 2025 production start date. Nolan previously released “Oppenheimer,” “Dunkirk,” “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” in the same month.
