The Odyssey is one of the most highly anticipated movies in 2026, and every new detail we discover about it confirms why. Christopher Nolan's new movie was shot at an epic scale and with a star-studded cast, as the award-winning filmmaker takes on the challenge of adapting one of the most famous literary works of all time.
Hitting theaters next summer as one of our most-anticipated upcoming movies, Nolan's new epic takes us back to Ancient Greece and Homer's epic poem about the aftermath of the Trojan War. The aforementioned stacked cast list will be led by Tom Holland (who's promised that the movie will "be unlike anything we've ever seen") and Matt Damon (who says this was the "best experience" of his career), and may well just have what it takes to become one of the best Christopher Nolan movies.
The Odyssey release date
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has a set release date of July 17, 2026 – so get it in your diaries if you haven't already.
Because this is Nolan, it will arrive exclusively in theaters worldwide during the summer blockbuster season. The best way to watch it is at an IMAX screen, especially since new IMAX technology was developed just for this movie.
Interestingly, tickets went on sale a whole year in advance, and they were snapped up very quickly.
The Odyssey cast
If you thought Oppenheimer featured a stacked cast, it's nothing compared to The Odyssey.
This film sees an all-star cast come together to bring this epic story to the big screen, with many of Nolan's former collaborators returning. That includes Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus in the film, and Benny Safdie.
"If I explained to you the scale of what it was and how it happened, you wouldn't even believe me. It really was remarkable to see this period of time come to life the way that it did. It was amazing," Safdie said during a conversation with GamesRadar+, revealing that Damon "literally" went "through the Odyssey" while making the film.
The cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, and Elliot Page, joined by other Hollywood A-listers like Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron.
Damon will take on the lead role of Odysseus, the legendary Greek king whose journey we follow. This was confirmed via a first look image which showed Damon in costume looking ready for battle. Thanks to the first trailer, we also know that Holland is playing Odysseus's son Telemachus, while Jon Bernthal appears to be Agamemnon.
You can see the confirmed The Odyssey cast so far below:
- Matt Damon – Odysseus
- Tom Holland – Telemachus
- Anne Hathaway – Penelope
- Zendaya
- Lupita Nyong'o
- Robert Pattinson
- Charlize Theron
- Jon Bernthal – Agamemnon
- Benny Safdie
- John Leguizamo
- Elliot Page
- Himesh Patel
- Bill Irwin
- Samantha Morton
- Mia Goth – Melantho
- Corey Hawkins
- Cosmo Jarvis
- Ryan Hurst
The Odyssey plot
If you haven't already guessed it from the title, The Odyssey will be based on Homer's epic ancient Greek poem of the same name.
One of the oldest surviving literary works, written around the 8th or 7th century BC, The Odyssey tells the story of Greek hero Odysseus. It follows this king of Ithaca as he journeys home from Troy after the decade-long Trojan War.
His homecoming journey also takes another 10 years, as Odysseus encounters many fantastical threats, including angry gods, monsters, and a vicious whirlpool. While Odysseus is absent, his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must contend with unruly suitors who are determined to be Penelope's new husband.
Over the years, The Odyssey has been retold countless times, so it will be interesting to see how Nolan interprets the classic story. However, one thing is for sure – it is set to be the director's most epic feature yet.
Jim Orr, Universal Pictures' distribution chief, said at CinemaCon in early April 2025 that the film will be "a visionary, once-in-a-generation cinematic masterpiece that Homer himself would quite likely be proud of."
Nolan revealed in November 2025 that he shot over two million feet of film - nearly 400 miles worth - including filming on the open ocean. To accomplish this feat, he spent "four months" at sea, calling the experience "pretty primal."
"It's vast and terrifying and wonderful and benevolent, as the conditions shift. We really wanted to capture how hard those journeys would have been for people. And the leap of faith that was being made in an unmapped, uncharted world. By embracing the physicality of the real world in the making of the film, you do inform the telling of the story in interesting ways. Because you're confronted on a daily basis by the world pushing back at you."
Speaking about the scale of the production, Matt Damon gave some insight into what it was like on set. "I can say, without hyperbole, that it was the best experience of my career. I saw the horse on the beach and I was just like, 'Fuck.' It was just so cool," he stated. "We were shooting that [Trojan horse] stuff next week, so I go, 'How are you going to do it?'" Damon remembers. "And [Nolan] goes, 'I don't know. We'll just get in there and figure it out.'"
Is there a The Odyssey trailer?
Yes, an Odyssey trailer does exist. However, it was only possible to watch it in cinemas over the summer, and has not been released online. But, it did leak.
Though it hasn't been released yet, we do know what happens in it, too. In the trailer, we see Tom Holland's Telemachus, as well as Jon Bernthal, who appears to be playing Agamemnon. The final image is Matt Damon's Odysseus, lost at sea and drifting on a piece of wood.
Along with the trailer, there's also a new poster to feast your eyes upon, too.
As we eagerly await Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, check out our guide to all the other movie release dates you need to add to your calendar.
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