The Odyssey: Release Date, Cast, Trailers & More
(Photo by Universal Pictures)
Homer’s The Odyssey has seen multiple adaptations over the years, most notably the 1954 Italian film Ulysses starring Kirk Douglas and the 1997 Emmy-winning miniseries The Odyssey with Armand Assante. But Christopher Nolan’s 2026 take on the story promises to be a game-changer. Known for his epic storytelling and practical filmmaking, Nolan will bring his signature vision to the legendary tale of Odysseus, a hero battling gods, monsters, and fate itself on a perilous journey back to his home.
Here’s everything we know about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
When Will it be released?
The Odyssey will open in theaters on July 17, 2026. According to Deadline, the film is set to debut on IMAX screens equipped with the latest advancements, giving audiences an even more immersive viewing experience for Nolan’s film.
(Photo by Ron Phillips, © Warner Brothers/courtesy Everett Collection)
Who’s behind the new adaptation?
The upcoming 2026 adaptation of The Odyssey will be directed by Christopher Nolan, one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation. Nolan began his directing career with the low-budget noir Following, followed by the groundbreaking indie Memento, which earned him entry into the studio system with Insomnia, starring Al Pacino and Robin Williams. Nolan’s big breakthrough came with Batman Begins in 2005. He solidified his status with The Prestige, Inception, and Interstellar, films known for their mind-bending narratives that have inspired cult followings. The Dark Knight redefined superhero cinema, while Dunkirk paid homage to British wartime resilience. His ambitious 2020 release Tenet tested pandemic-era moviegoing and marked the end of his long partnership with Warner Bros. He then joined Universal for Oppenheimer, an instant success that won Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The Odyssey will mark Nolan’s 13th feature film, and all 12 of his previous works are Fresh on the Tomatometer.
Joining Nolan on the 2026 project is composer Ludwig Göransson, best known for his acclaimed scores on The Mandalorian, Oppenheimer, and Sinners. Nolan also reteams with his Oscar-winning cinematographer on Oppenheimer, Hoyte van Hoytema, who has worked on every Nolan film since Interstellar.
True to Nolan’s signature style, the film will rely heavily on practical effects and real-world locations, and significant portions of the budget are reportedly being allocated to these ambitious shoots. Alongside Greece and Sicily, other confirmed filming locations include the U.K., Morocco, Scotland, and Ireland.
The production did most of its earlier filming in Messinia, a region in western Peloponnese, Greece. After wrapping in Greece, cast members, including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, and Zendaya, traveled to Sicily, another key location in the film adaptation of Homer’s epic. Part of the film will be shot on the island of Favignana, often linked to Odysseus’ mythical journey and believed by many to be the inspiration for one of his storied landings. Filming in Sicily was scheduled to begin in spring 2025.
Who’s In It?
(Photo by Kristin Callahan/Everett Collection)
The Odyssey is already shaping up to be one of the most star-studded casts of 2026. Matt Damon, coming off recent acclaim for Oppenheimer, is set to lead as Odysseus, the legendary Greek hero. Tom Holland, widely recognized for his role as the MCU’s Spider-Man, will portray Telemachus, Odysseus’s determined son on a journey to find his long-lost father. Charlize Theron has also confirmed her role as Circe, the powerful and mysterious goddess of sorcery who plays a pivotal part in Odysseus’s journey.
Beyond Damon, Holland, and Theron, however, it remains unclear which characters the rest of the film’s ensemble will portray, and rumors continue to circulate. That said, the rest of the cast includes an impressive lineup: Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o, Mia Goth, Elliot Page, John Leguizamo, and Benny Safdie.
WHAT IS The ODYSSEY ABOUT?
(Photo by Hallmark Entertainment / Courtesy: Everett Collection)
The Odyssey is one of the most enduring and influential works in Western literature. Traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer and believed to have been composed in the 8th century BCE, this epic poem spans 24 books and chronicles the long, perilous journey of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, as he struggles to return home after the fall of Troy.
Although Odysseus’s journey home takes 10 years, the poem’s action focuses mainly on the final six weeks of his voyage. What sets The Odyssey apart is its non-linear structure: The story opens not with Odysseus himself, but with his wife Penelope and their son Telemachus, who are left behind in Ithaca. Telemachus, now a young man, seeks news of his father and visits veterans of the Trojan War, Nestor and Menelaus, in hopes of learning whether Odysseus is still alive.
(Photo by © Hallmark Entertainment / Courtesy Everett Collection)
Odysseus is introduced midway through the narrative, stranded on the island of Ogygia as a captive of the nymph Calypso. After being released by the gods, he endures another shipwreck and washes up on the island of the Phaeacians. There, he tells the story of everything he’s been through on his journey home: narrowly escaping a land of people who eat a magical flower that makes you forget everything, being attacked by giants, falling under the spell of a powerful sorceress named Circe, tricking a one-eyed monster called the Cyclops, and steering his ship past terrifying sea monsters. Along the way, he faces constant challenges from the sea god Poseidon and ultimately loses his crew, one by one, through a series of disasters.
The final portion of the poem sees Odysseus finally returning to Ithaca, where he must reclaim his home and identity. Disguised and aided by the goddess Athena, he reunites with his son, Telemachus, and together they devise a plan to eliminate the over one hundred arrogant suitors who have invaded his palace, hoping to marry Penelope.
It remains unclear whether Christopher Nolan will follow the original non-linear timeline of Homer’s The Odyssey, but many expect him to remain true to the story.
Are there any trailers?
(Photo by Elizabeth Goodenough/Everett Collection)
No trailers for The Odyssey, which started production in Greece in early 2025, have been released yet, but the film just shared a look at their first poster via social media. At CinemaCon, the annual industry event where studios preview upcoming films for theater owners and media, Universal’s distribution chief Jim Orr teased the film, stating that it will be “a visionary, once-in-a-generation cinematic masterpiece that Homer himself would quite likely be proud of.”
The Odyssey hits theaters on July 17, 2026.
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