| The Odyssey | |
|---|---|
| Film poster showing Odysseus (Matt Damon) standing in a battle position, with the Trojan Horse behind him, engulfed in ash and smoke. Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Christopher Nolan |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | Christopher Nolan |
| Based on | Homer's Odyssey |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Ludwig Göransson |
| Cinematography | Hoyte van Hoytema |
| Edited by | Jennifer Lame |
Production company | |
| Distributed by | Universal Pictures[1][2] |
Release date |
|
Running time | 173 minutes[3] |
| Country |
|
| Language | English |
| Budget | $250 million[4] |
The Odyssey is a 2026 epic fantasy action film written and directed by Christopher Nolan, serving as an adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem Odyssey. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, and chronicles his arduous and hazardous journey home following the Trojan War, alongside his encounters with mythical beings as he strives to reunite with his wife, Penelope, portrayed by Anne Hathaway. The supporting cast features Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. Nolan and his wife Emma Thomas produced the film through their production company, Syncopy.
Nolan commenced writing The Odyssey in March 2024, secured the project with Universal Pictures by October of that year, and the film was officially announced in December. The casting process extended from late 2024 through early 2025, with Matt Damon's confirmation for the lead role occurring in February 2025. Nolan studied multiple translations of The Odyssey to inform his approach. He developed a realistic interpretation of Greek mythology, drawing inspiration from the epic historical films Andrei Rublev (1966) and Ran (1985), as well as the works of special effects artist Ray Harryhausen. Principal photography took place from February to August 2025 across various international locations including Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Iceland, Western Sahara, and Malta, supplemented by filming at the Universal Studios Lot in Los Angeles. With an estimated budget of 25 crore USD, the film ranks among the most expensive productions of Nolan's career and marks the first to be shot exclusively on IMAX's 70 mm film cameras. In the period leading up to the film's release, the costume design, production aesthetics, accents, dialogue, and casting decisions generated significant critical discussion and debate concerning historical accuracy to the source material and the depicted setting.
The film premiered on July 6, 2026, at the Odeon Luxe Leicester Square in London, preceding its theatrical release by Universal Pictures on 17 July in the United States and the United Kingdom. The release was presented in IMAX and multiple premium large formats. The Odyssey received critical acclaim, with particular praise directed toward Nolan's direction.
Cast[edit | edit source]
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- Matt Damon as Odysseus:
The legendary Greek king of Ithaca.[5] Director Christopher Nolan described Odysseus as complicated, "an amazing strategist, [and] a very wily person". He was interested in his cleverness and inventiveness, particularly citing Odysseus's characterization in the 2017 translation of the Odyssey by British-American classicist Emily Wilson.[6] To prepare for the role, Damon underwent an extensive training regimen and a strict diet to become "lean but strong", which included no longer consuming gluten and reducing his weight to 167 pounds (76 kilograms).[7] He also grew a full beard for a year, after Nolan declined to use artificial facial hair because he wanted to capture "the physicality of real hair".[8][7] - Tom Holland as Telemachus, Odysseus and Penelope's son and the prince of Ithaca, who is determined to find his father[9][10]:55
- Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Odysseus's wife, Telemachus's mother, and the queen of Ithaca, who fends off many suitors in her husband's absence[11]
- Robert Pattinson as Antinous, a suitor of Penelope,[11] whom Pattinson described as sleazy and likened to James Woods's character Lester Diamond from the 1995 film Casino[12]
- Lupita Nyong'o in a dual role as:
- Helen of Troy, Menelaus's wife, described as the most beautiful woman in the world, whose abduction triggers the Trojan War[13]
- Clytemnestra, Helen's sister and Agamemnon's wife, whose marriage is acrimonious[13]
- Samantha Morton as Circe, a witch and goddess from the island of Aeaea[13]
- John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, Odysseus's faithful servant and blind swineherd[10]:55[14]
- Zendaya as Athena, the goddess of wisdom, warfare, and handicraft, who protects Odysseus on his journey. She also portrays the young Trojan priestess of Athena killed during the assault on Troy that Athena later takes the form of[10]:50[13]
- Charlize Theron as Calypso, a nymph from the island of Ogygia who tries to keep Odysseus as her immortal husband[13][15]
- Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, the Greek king of Sparta, Helen's husband, and Agamemnon's younger brother[10]:50
- Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, Odysseus's second-in-command and incompetent brother-in-law[16][11]
- Bill Irwin as Polyphemus, a Cyclops and son of Poseidon[13]
- Elliot Page as Sinon, a Greek soldier and the son of a servant of Antinous, who was recruited as a child to be brought up as a soldier that would reach adulthood upon the Greeks' arrival at Troy[16][17]
- Benny Safdie as Agamemnon, the Greek king of Mycenae, Clytemnestra's husband, Menelaus's older brother, and the commander of the Achaeans during the Trojan War[18][13]
- Will Yun Lee as Anchialus, one of Odysseus's shipmates[10]:59
- Corey Hawkins as Polybus, an Ithacan suitor of Penelope[17]
- Mia Goth as Melantho, a disloyal maidservant of Odysseus and Penelope[6][16]
- Logan Marshall-Green as Melanthius, Melantho's twin brother and Odysseus's dishonest goatherd[19][16]
- Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus, one of Odysseus's shipmates[11]
- Andrew Howard as Polites, one of Odysseus's shipmates[20]Template:Independent source inline
- Travis Scott as a bard, whom Nolan included because he wanted to allude to how the Odyssey had been retold through oral poetry, which he analogized to rapping, Scott's profession[13]
- James Remar as Tiresias, a blind prophet of the Greek underworld[16]
- Elyes Gabel as Elatus, a warrior[16]
- Ryan Hurst as Mentor, Telemachus' guide and mentor[21]
- Jovan Adepo as Elpenor, one of Odysseus's shipmates[22]
- Jesse Garcia as Menetus, one of Odysseus's shipmates[23]
- Josh Stewart as Antiphates, one of Odysseus's shipmates[24]
- Sean Avery as Laodamas, one of Odysseus's shipmates[25]
- Anthony Molinari as Perimedes, one of Odysseus's shipmates[26][non-primary source needed]
- Ian Casselberry as Dolios, one of Odysseus's shipmates[27]
- Kate Fuglei as Eurycleia, a loyal handmaiden and nurse of Odysseus and Penelope
- Iddo Goldberg as Amphimedon, a suitor of Penelope[28]
- Rafi Gavron and Shiloh Fernandez as Trojans who kill Sinon and encounter the Trojan horse[29]
- Nick E. Tarabay as an unnamed pilot
- Maurice Compte as Steward of Menelaus[30]
- Michael Vlamis as Bandit / Priest in Pylos
- Brian Vernel as Irus, a beggar of Ithaca
- Stephen Murphy as Phemius
Notes and References[edit | edit source]
Notes[edit | edit source]
References[edit | edit source]
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<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedScotlandFilmingContinued - ↑ Fry, Bastien D. [@BastienDrucker] (15 July 2026). "Carton de doublage du film "L'odyssée" de Christopher Nolan dirigé par Michel Derain Avec le retour de notre @damienboisseau sur Matt Damon" (Tweet). Retrieved 16 July 2026 – via Twitter.
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