Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey: Star-Studded Cast Revealed

The speculation about what Christopher Nolan’s next film will be is finally over. Universal Pictures announced Monday that he will adapt The Odyssey, the epic poem attributed to Homer, which…

By Ishika Setia

December 25, 2024

2 min read

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The speculation about what Christopher Nolan’s next film will be is finally over. Universal Pictures announced Monday that he will adapt The Odyssey, the epic poem attributed to Homer, which chronicles the adventure of Odysseus as he tries to get home after the Trojan War.

Christopher Nolan’s Next Film: The Odyssey, Starring Matt Damon and Zendaya

The Odyssey, according to the studio, will be a “mythic action epic,” filmed in various locations around the world with innovative IMAX film technology. “For the first time, Homer’s foundational saga will be brought to IMAX film screens,” Universal stated. It will be released theatrically throughout the world on July 17, 2026. As for the cast, this film has it all: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, and Charlize Theron will all provide something to catch attention in the theater.

Nolan is well versed in period dramas having already delved into historical events with Oppenheimer (2023) which netted him his first Oscars for Best Picture and Best Director. His earlier film The Prestige (2006) also explored the 19th-century world of competing magicians. However, The Odyssey is a major departure for Nolan, who has never dared to step into the territory of mythology and fantasy. The poem, which dates to the eighth century B.C., is filled with gods, goddesses, monsters, and mythical creatures — subject matter not exactly common to Nolan’s previous oeuvre.

Still, Nolan loves to imbue his films with fantastical elements, whether that’s placing Batman’s feet on the ground in a post-9/11 world in The Dark Knight Trilogy or broaching interstellar travel in Interstellar. There have been many adaptations of the ancient tale, from the films Troy (2004) and the Coen brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000). Ironically, before he made Batman Begins, Nolan was considered for a role in Troy. After Oppenheimer’s success, Nolan received a knighthood from King Charles, capping off an exceptional year for the director.