Adventures, Ancient Greece, and Armed Fights; here is everything we know about Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie, The Odyssey.
After the undeniable success of his previous film, Christopher Nolan is soon to be back on our screens with his latest work, titled The Odyssey. As the name suggests, Nolan’s upcoming movie will be an adaptation of Homer’s epic poem of the same name, one of the most famous works of Ancient Greek literature. As those who are familiar with the source material will know, this epic action film will be filled with adventures, travels across Ancient Greece (and beyond), and many fights and conflicts. Despite still being in the early stages of production, there is already something that will make audiences even more excited to watch this film: this is everything we know about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey!
The Plot: What Is The Odyssey About?
The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, as he attempts to go back to his homeland and family after the ten-year-long Trojan War. But his journey home will not be as simple as Odysseus may expect. In fact, his adventures will take him across the Peloponnesus and for the next ten years after the end of the war in Troy. In this time, Odysseus will see many of his crewmates die, encounter many perils and enemies in his travels, and win the favour – or in some cases, the hate – of the Greek Gods who are looking over him, not always with a benevolent eye. In his absence, a group of unruly suitors has taken over his palace in an attempt to marry his wife, Penelope, and rule over Ithaca as Odysseus is now presumed dead by most.
The Cast: Who Is Starring in The Odyssey?
The cast of The Odyssey is already stacked, as it often happens with Christopher Nolan films. As we have seen from the first images that have been released from the set, Matt Damon will play the main role of Odysseus, the legendary Greek hero known for his quick wit and intellect. He will be joined by Tom Holland who is going to play Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, according to multiple sources, and his wife Penelope could potentially be played by Anne Hathaway. While some cast members have joined in roles that have not yet been identified, there are some very exciting names attached to the project, such as Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Mia Goth, and Robert Pattinson. Could these be playing some of the Greek deities we are bound to see in the film? Only time will tell, but I think Lupita Nyong’o would be a fine choice for Athena, the goddess of wisdom who protects Odysseus throughout his journey.
The Shooting: Where is The Odyssey Filming?
Perhaps surprisingly, The Odyssey has already started filming. Production started at the beginning of 2025, on February 25, in Morocco. More specifically, a good part of the shooting took place in Aït Benhaddou, which is often used for filming on location and was also featured in Lawrence of Arabia (1962), The Mummy in 1999, and most recently, in the TV show Game of Thrones. Later this month, the principal photography will move to Sicily, with the aim of shooting in the Aeolian Islands, and in the Peloponnese area of Greece, possibly near Messinia, a region in the southwest of the country, and in an archaeological palace in Corinth.
The Release Date: When Is The Odyssey Coming Out?
Fans won’t have to wait too long to see Nolan back on our screens. In fact, The Odyssey is scheduled to be released on July 19, 2026, a release date that reminds us of the mid-July release of Oppenheimer, the director’s latest movie. Like the latter, this film will also be distributed by Universal Pictures in IMAX, which has now become the norm for Nolan’s movies.
Previous Films: Has The Odyssey Been Adapted Before?
This is not the first time The Odyssey has been adapted for the screen, and yet Nolan’s version could very well become the most famous one to date. The very first time the source material was made into a film was in 1911 with L’Odissea, an Italian silent film directed by Giuseppe de Liguoro. Years later, in 1054, this was followed by Ulysses, another Italian adaptation with Kirk Douglas as the titular character. Most recently, in 2024, Ralph Fiennes starred as Odysseus in The Return, a movie directed by Uberto Pasolini that retells part of Homer’s epic poem.
Is The Odyssey A Sequel To Troy?
If you have read The Odyssey, you would know that the events of the epic poem take place roughly 10 years before The Iliad, the other masterful work by the Greek poet Homer. Naturally, the two literary works are connected, with many considering the former the natural continuation of the latter both in terms of storytelling and literary style and tradition. In some ways, then, I suppose that The Odyssey could be considered a sequel to Troy in the sense that the two stories certainly inform each other given their source materials, two epic poems written by the same author. However, they are also two films directed by entirely different directors with, most likely, very different aims and ideas in mind, thus suggesting that we can definitely also see them as two separate entities.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will be released globally in theaters on July 19, 2026. Keep an eye on this page for the latest updates!
