As casting bulletins proceed to roll in, hypothesis and pleasure has solely grown surrounding Christopher Nolan‘s follow-up to his vital and field workplace hit “Oppenheimer,” which gained him the Academy Award for greatest director.
“The Odyssey” is a traditional piece of literature by Homer that’s divided between 24 completely different books, preceded by “The Iliad.” It tells the 10-year journey story of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, as he travels residence after the Trojan War. Along the way in which, he encounters a number of perils and discovers the demise of his crewmates. Telemachus (Odysseus’ son), Penelope (Odysseus’ spouse), Athena, Circe, Poseidon and Zeus are all main characters.
Historians and students date “The Odyssey” to someday between 750-650 BC. The first printed Greek model grew to become accessible in 1488. In the centuries since, it has remained one of the studied, tailored and parodied tales ever with diversifications together with the 1911 silent movie by Giuseppe de Liguoro, 1954’s “Ulysses” with Kirk Douglas and the 2000 Coen brothers comedy “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”
With a brand new adaptation on the horizon, right here is all the pieces we all know to date about Nolan’s tackle “The Odyssey.”
Have any images been launched from the movie?
Universal shared the primary official picture from the movie on X, with the caption studying: “Matt Damon is Odysseus. A film by Christopher Nolan, #TheOdysseyMovie is in theaters July 17, 2026.”
Universal
The submit confirms that Matt Damon will play the lead position of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, whereas Universal has but to disclose who else from the big solid will play which character.
Who are the newest additions to the solid?
Elliot Page (“Inception”), Himesh Patel (“Tenet”), Bill Irwin (“Interstellar”) and Samantha Morton (“Minority Report”) are the newest additions to “The Odyssey” solid, becoming a member of Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Rafi Gavron and Shiloh Fernandez, amongst many others.
Goth is thought for her current scream queen roles in “MaXXXine” and “Pearl,” together with Luca Guadagnino’s “Suspiria,” “Infinity Pool” and “A Cure for Wellness.” Leguizamo has acted for a number of a long time, incomes Emmy nods for “When They See Us” and “Waco” and in addition showing in “Encanto,” “Romeo + Juliet,” “John Wick” and “The Menu.”
Gavron was in “A Star is Born” reverse Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga. He received his breakout in Anthony Minghella’s movie “Breaking and Entering” alongside Jude Law and Juliette Binoche. Meanwhile, Fernandez is thought for roles in “Evil Dead,” “Euphoria” and “United States of Tara.”
Who else is solid within the movie and have they labored with Nolan earlier than?
Like the all-star solid that was assembled for “Oppenheimer” (and resulted in a greatest ensemble win on the Screen Actors Guild awards), “The Odyssey” is already stuffed with main expertise in Hollywood. In addition to the latest additions, confirmed names embody Damon, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie and Jon Bernthal. However, apart from Damon, it stays unclear who will play which position, leaving it as much as followers to take a position in the intervening time.
New additions Page, Patel and Irwin have all labored with Nolan earlier than — notably, Irwin voiced TARS the robotic in “Interstellar.” Damon most lately appeared in “Oppenheimer” as Lt. General Leslie Groves after his under-the-radar look in “Interstellar.” Pattinson appeared in “Tenet” as Neil, alongside John David Washington and Elizabeth Debicki. Going again a bit farther, Hathaway had a supporting position as an astronaut in “Interstellar” and Catwoman in “The Dark Knight Rises,” marking simply over 10 years since her final time working with Nolan.
For Holland, Zendaya, Nyong’o and Theron, “The Odyssey” marks their first time collaborating with Nolan. Holland and Zendaya, who’re a real-life couple, will reunite on display screen after the Marvel “Spider-Man” movies.
Has any footage from the movie been revealed?
Not but, though Universal’s distribution chief Jim Orr teased the movie at CinemaCon. He instructed attendees that the movie will likely 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 number of actors have spoken out concerning the movie, too, together with solid member Leguizamo, who mentioned that Nolan has made the manufacturing really feel impartial. “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 mentioned in a current interview on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.”
How will the movie be shot?
According to a social media submit from Universal Pictures, “The Odyssey” will likely be “shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology.” Nolan’s craft has turn into synonymous with Imax as “Oppenheimer,” “Dunkirk,” “Tenet” and “Interstellar,” the latter of which was re-released to a lot success for its tenth anniversary, had been all shot with Imax cameras.
Where would be the movie be shot?
As Variety exclusively reported, the movie will likely be partly filmed in Sicily, which is notable for being a location for Odysseus’ wanderings within the epic. Shooting there may be anticipated to start in spring 2025 on the island of Favignana, thought of the “goat island,” which many imagine to be the place the place Homer visualized Odysseus touchdown together with his crew. As Nolan has constructed a fanbase together with his take care of sensible results and units, it’s no shock that sources have confirmed that the movie is probably going utilizing a few of its price range for taking pictures on the Sicily islands. Other introduced areas for the movie embody the U.Ok., Morocco, Scotland and Ireland, making “The Odyssey” a world shoot.
Who else is creatively concerned?
Nolan can also be writing and producing the movie, reuniting together with his longtime producing and life companion Emma Thomas, who gained the Best Picture Oscar for “Oppenheimer” alongside Nolan. Italy’s Wildside, a Fremantle firm, is servicing the Sicily portion of the filming.
How trustworthy will this adaptation be to ‘The Odyssey’?
It stays unclear how intently Nolan intends on following Homer’s well-known story, though the social media submit from Universal Pictures teases “a mythic action epic shot across the world.”
When is the movie set to launch?
The movie is ready to launch worldwide on July 17, 2026 in theaters after a 2025 manufacturing begin date. Nolan beforehand launched “Oppenheimer,” “Dunkirk,” “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” in the identical month.