There are some highly anticipated movies on the 2026 movie schedule, and Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, starring Matt Damon as the Greek hero Odysseus, is one of the biggest. All of Nolan's movies draw a lot of hype, and adding to the director's reputation is that he is doing what amounts to the first real adaptations of one of the founding myths of Western culture and literature.
This is more than a mere book-to-screen adaptation; it's sure to be an epic film based on the epic poem. The hype is real. The movie's IMAX 70mm screenings mostly sold out a full year in advance.
We've learned a lot more about the movie since the year began, including who many in the all-star cast will be playing (though there are still a few mysteries). Here is everything we know as of the end of March 2026, including some casting guesses and the first trailer.
What Is The Odyssey’s Release Date?
Universal has confirmed that The Odyssey will hit the 2026 movie schedule on July 17th, 2026.
The film will be released in IMAX, of course, as no one in Hollywood loves the format more than Nolan. In fact, this is reportedly the first time every frame of a film will have been filmed in 70mm for IMAX. According to Nolan, over 200 million feet of film were used in the production. That's a mindboggling number, as it is orders of magnitude more than a standard 35mm film, or even a 70mm non-IMAX film.
We also now know that the movie will have a five-week theatrical window. That is a big change from the three weeks that has been standard in the industry since the pandemic. Universal, the movie's producer, announced this change recently, adding that it will guarantee seven weeks in the future. It's likely no accident that it is timed with the release of The Odyssey.
The First Trailer Has Dropped
The first teaser was initially presented in the summer of 2025 as a preview during screenings of Jurassic World Rebirth, and a longer trailer accompanied Avatar: Fire and Ash in December. The teaser trailer was finally released online right before Christmas 2025, and now we've finally seen the full trailer, which was released in early May.
Of course, there have been some snarky comments about the uniforms and other pedantry, but let's be honest, it already looks as epic as we anticipate it will be. I'm not ready to say it'll get a boatload of Oscar nominations next year based on a trailer, but c'mon, of course it will!
Check out the full trailer here:
We see a lot more in this full trailer than we saw in the previous teaser trailer, including our first looks at some of the stars of the movie. Of course, Matt Damon, Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway are here, as they were in the teaser, but we also get glimpses of Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Eliot Page, and a better look at Jon Bernthal. Plus a couple of sightings of the Cyclops, Polyphemus, rumored to be the role Bill Irwin is playing.
What Is The Odyssey About?
The story of Homer’s The Odyssey is, of course, well known throughout the world. Many of us, including me, read the epic poem in high school, and it is one of the foundations of Western literature and storytelling. It’s the story of Odysseus and his journey home after the Trojan War. The movie has been partially adapted before, including as the principal inspiration for the Coen Brothers’ classic O Brother Where Art Thou?
While the companion poem by Homer, The Iliad, was partially adapted as Troy, by director Wolfgang Petersen in 2004, starring Sean Bean as Odysseus, among a cast that included Brad Pitt, Orlando Bloom, and Diane Kruger, and many others, this will be the first straight adaptation of The Odyssey for the big screen in English, ever, if you can believe it. It has been adapted for TV before, but not for almost 30 years. Recently, the director's brother, Jonathon Nolan, revealed to CinemaBlend:
I was fascinated by The Iliad and The Odyssey when I was younger, and I had some fun conversations with Chris about where he's taking it. It's a spectacular film.
Obviously, the two poems are important to both Nolan brothers, and it's safe to assume the story is in good hands. It's also very much worth noting that Christopher Nolan referenced a specific translation by Emily Wilson in 2017, as a version of the oft-translated poem, as one of his major sources.
The Odyssey Cast
Of course, as has been the case with recent Nolan films, this epic has an epic cast, as well. There are dozens of characters in the poem, and most of them will be played by A-listers. It also seems like more and more news has come out, beyond the initial casting news, like rapper Travis Scott (who worked with Nolan on Tenet) being included. We’ll start with the roles that are confirmed and then move on to the rest of the giant ensemble cast:
Matt Damon As Odysseus
Matt Damon will star as Odysseus in The Odyssey. Damon has worked with Nolan before, in one of the best Christopher Nolan movies, Interstellar, winning a Golden Globe for his performance. He also held a role in the large cast of Oppenheimer, so it's not that much of a surprise that one of the first stars to be set to work on this film is someone with whom Nolan has worked previously.
According to reports, Damon put in a ton of work for the role, including losing weight and growing a full beard without shaving for a year. He somehow looks both in the best shape of his life and the most haggard he's ever looked. It's pretty impressive, and of course, completely fitting for a battle-weary king who must go through hell and back to get home. In every way, it seems everyone involved put in work to pull this epic off correctly.
Tom Holland As Telemachus
Tom Holland will be starring as Odysseus' son, Telemachus. Holland is best known for playing Spider-Man in the MCU movies, but his credits run much deeper, including 2022's Uncharted. Interestingly, Holland's next Spidey appearance will also be in the summer of 2026 in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, alongside some other actors in The Odyssey: Zendaya and Jon Bernthal.
Charlize Theron as Calypso
Oscar-winner Charlize Theron was originally rumored to be playing the legendary Circe, who, if you'll remember, was responsible for turning Odysseus' crew into pigs in the story. However, we now know that the Academy Award-winner is playing Calypso. Theron is no stranger to blockbusters, having starred in the Fast franchise, and has even made a cameo in the MCU as Clea in Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.
Zendaya As Athena
Zendaya will be portraying Athena, the Greek goddess of war and wisdom. This was some casting news I was excited to find out more about. Not only am I a fan of Zendaya, but Athena plays a crucial role in the epic, assisting Odysseus wherever she can during his journey.
Zendaya has a pretty big year in 2026, starring in three of the most anticipated movies of the year: The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Dune III. She has already been seen alongside one of her castmates here, Robert Pattinson, in The Drama. Not to mention Euphoria Season 3, which you can catch up on with an HBO Max subscription.
Anne Hathaway As Penelope
This is one that I predicted when the cast list was first announced, without the corresponding characters. Anne Hathaway, who has worked with Nolan before in The Dark Knight Rises and Interstellar, seemed like the natural choice for Penelope, wife of Odysseus, who is stuck at home, fending off suitors and awaiting her husband's return.
Like Zendaya, 2026 is shaping up to be a huge year for Hathaway. She has five movies on the schedule, including Mother Mary, which was released in April, The Devil Wears Prada 2, which is currently in theaters and performing well at the box office, The Odyssey in July, The End of Oak Street in August, and Verity in October.
Robert Pattinson As Antinous
In the original poem by Homer, Antinous is one of Penelope's suitors who serves as the main (human) antagonist to Odysseus and his family. He's a nasty sort, and Robert Pattinson, who will hopefully be filming The Batman 2 when this comes out, is an inspired choice. Judging by the trailer, he looks to be perfect for the role of one of the true villains in this epic.
Jon Bernthal As Menelaus
Jon Bernthal is playing the king of the Spartans, Menelaus. Bernthal is always great, and there's no reason to expect he won't be again in The Odyssey, playing a pretty different role than we are used to. It was Menelaus who was responsible for the Trojan War after all; it was his wife, Helen of Troy (rumored to be played by Lupita Nyong’o), who ran off with Paris (who was played by Orlando Bloom in Troy), kicking off the hostilities.
John Leguizamo As Eumaeus
John Leguizamo is an interesting choice as Eumaeus, the servant and companion to Odysseus. It's an important role, and not really a role anyone would expect to see Leguizamo in; however, he gets a big moment in the trailer, and he looks pretty awesome (and old! The makeup is fantastic) as the loyal friend to our hero.
Benny Safdie As Agamemnon
Benny Safdie is playing Agamemnon in the film, which was finally confirmed by Nolan in Time in May 2026. We see a glimpse of what is almost certainly the Mycenaean king standing in front of a kneeling Odysseus with his brother Menelaus (Bernthal) standing behind him. You can't totally tell it's Safdie (whose 2025 The Smashing Machine earned an Oscar nomination for Best Makeup), but it's him.
Lupita Nyong’o As Helen of Troy And Clytemnestra
Lupita Nyong’o has long been rumored to be playing Helen of Troy, whose love triangle between Menelaus and Paris is what kicks off the Trojan War in The Iliad. Christopher Nolan finally confirmed this rumor in the article in Time. The director actually revealed that the Academy Award-winning actor is playing two roles: Helen and Helen's sister, Clytemnestra, wife of Agamemnon.
Samantha Morton As Circe
The goddess Circe will be played by Samantha Morton, as confirmed by Nolan in Time. Morton, who has twice been nominated for an Oscar, is one of the most versatile actors in Hollywood with credits that span more than a quarter of a century in both hit movies like Minority Report and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and big TV shows like The Walking Dead and The Serpent Queen. She'll also be seen in the upcoming A24 film The Entertainment System is Down.
Bill Irwin As Polyphemus, The Cyclops
Bill Irwin, who worked with Nolan on Interstellar, is playing Polyphemus, the infamous cyclops in The Odyssey. Irwin is well-suited to play the mythical creature, as his skills span everything from acting to clowning to puppetry.
Additional The Odyssey Cast Members
There is a huge cast list from several sources for The Odyssey. Here is who else you can expect to see, but may have smaller roles, or for whom we don't know specific roles (though I have made some guesses, based on rumors):
- Mia Goth as Melantho
- Himesh Patel as Eurylochus
- Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus
- Will Yun Lee as a Shipmate
- Travis Scott as a bard
- Elliot Page (Hermes?, Achilles?)
- James Remar (Tiresias?)
- Jesse Garcia
- Rafi Gavron
- Shiloh Fernandez
- Corey Hawkins
- Nick Tarabay
- Maurice Compte
- Michael Vlamis
- Iddo Goldberg
- Logan Marshall-Green
- Ryan Hurst
- Jovan Adepo
The Oppenheimer cast was filled with very familiar faces, and apparently, everyone in Hollywood wants to (understandably) be part of an epic Christopher Nolan production.
Christopher Nolan Will Direct, And Also Wrote The Film
Christopher Nolan will, of course, direct, and he also wrote the screenplay for The Odyssey, as well. That’s not unusual, as he has written or co-written all but one of the films he’s directed in the past, including Oppenheimer, Interstellar, and Dunkirk. Insomnia is the one movie he hasn’t been credited with penning.
Earlier this year, Jesse Garcia spoke to CinemaBlend about how the process is very “intimate,” but also so big, and noted that we’re truly going to see things that we have never seen on the big screen. As the film was entirely shot in IMAX, this is truly going to be…epic.
