‘The Odyssey’, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient poem, with massive cast, hits theatres on July 17. The film reimagines Greek tale of Odysseus, starring Matt Damon as king of Ithaca. After the Trojan War, Odysseus and his soldiers must embark on a long, treacherous journey back home. The movie was shot across six countries and stands as the first feature film made entirely with IMAX film cameras.
Matt Damon leads as Odysseus
This marks Damon’s third collaboration with Nolan, after Interstellar and Oppenheimer, but his first time playing the central character. His casting was revealed through the film’s official social media account, with a photo of him in character.
Family waiting in Ithaca
Anne Hathaway plays Odysseus’ wife Penelope, who tries to keep peace in her home while he is away. Tom Holland plays their son, Telemachus. He barely knew his father before the war and must decide whether to believe his mother that Odysseus is still alive, or listen to those who say otherwise and try to claim the throne himself.
Gods and mythical figures
Odysseus encounters a full cast of gods and monsters on his journey, including Athena, the goddess of wisdom and war, played by Zendaya. He also meets the sorceress Circe, played by Samantha Morton, the sea nymph Calypso, played by Charlize Theron, and the cyclops Polyphemus, played by Bill Irwin.
The suitors and Ithaca’s threats
Back home, Penelope faces a group of men trying to claim her hand and the throne. Robert Pattinson plays the suitor Antinous. The Gold Derby cast breakdown lists other suitors circling the throne as Odysseus’ family waits for his return.
Loyal allies
John Leguizamo plays Eumaeus, described as Odysseus’ loyal friend. Elliot Page plays Sinon, a warrior and cousin of Odysseus. Sinon does not appear in Homer’s original poem but is mentioned in Virgil’s Aeneid.
A wider ensemble
The supporting cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, James Remar and Benny Safdie. Other names attached to the production include Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Anthony Molinari, Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee and Nick Tarabay.
Where and how it happened
Nolan shot the film across Morocco, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Scotland and the United States. Universal scheduled the release for July 17, 2026, with a global IMAX rollout, continuing Nolan’s preference for large-format projection seen in films like Dunkirk and Tenet.
Overlap with other summer releases
Holland also appears alongside Odyssey castmates Zendaya and Jon Bernthal in Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which arrives in theatres July 31.
Origins of the story
The Odyssey is divided into 24 books and is preceded by The Iliad. Historians date the poem to between 750 and 650 BC, and the first printed Greek version appeared in 1488.