Fifi O’ Reilly
Writer
Christopher Nolan fans will be rejoicing on July 26, 2026, when his long-awaited film adaption of Homer’s “The Odyssey” hits theaters.
If there is any indication of what is to be expected, the director is pulling all the stops with another all-star cast, teaming up with Hoyte van Hoytema as cinematographer and Ludwig Göransson as composer again, and unleashing new IMAX technology.
Christopher Nolan is known for only shooting on film and using practical effects over the industry’s attachment to CGI effects. He says it produces a better film and a better experience that digital film and CGI effects just cannot master or recreate.
In his 2023 biopic “Oppenheimer,” the director introduced black and white IMAX technology, in which half of the storyline was shot. As far as the new IMAX technology that Nolan will be using for his newest project, the director has kept it under wraps but has promised it will be revolutionary to the film industry.
Cast members who have already been confirmed consist of Matt Damon who will play the lead role of Odysseus, Tom Holland, Zendaya and Lupita Nyong’o as newcomers to Nolan’s sprawling world of movies.
Anne Hathaway and Elliot Page will be rejoining Nolan in the film as well. Hathaway was in Nolan’s 2014 sci-fi epic “Interstellar,” in which she played the role of Dr. Amelia Brand alongside Matthew McConaughey and Damon, who played Cooper and Dr. Mann respectively.
Elliot Page played the role of Ariadne in Nolan’s mind-bending corporate spy thriller “Inception” (2010) along with Leonardo DiCaprio (Don Cobb), Marion Cotillard (Mal), Joseph Gordon-Levitt (Arthur), Cillian Murphy (Fischer), and Michael Caine (Dr. Stephen Miles).
Homer’s “The Odyssey” was written more than 2,600 years ago, and the epic tale follows a soldier, Odysseus, on his 10-year journey home after the events of the Trojan War.
The tale is set in the world of Ancient Greece and involves Greek gods, mythical monsters and ancient history.
Poster courtesy of Letterboxd
“The Odyssey” has been adapted numerous times before, either directly or indirectly. One of the more well-known adaptions is the Coen Brothers’ 2000 film, “O Brother, Where Art Thou?” which gave Homer’s epic a Southern twist by being based in 1930s Mississippi.
While screen adaptions of mythological tales may choose to use modern digital effects to enhance creature or character design, Nolan is sticking to old-school filmmaking tactics.
In keeping tradition of not using CGI, Nolan is slated to film on location in Greece, Morroco and Italy.
One location in Italy, the Favignana island, is suspected to be the location Homer pictured and used while writing “The Odyssey.”
Filming preparations are already underway as the film is set to begin shooting in early March.
Images of constructed sets, including a gigantic Trojan horse statue, were spread on social media late last week. And on Monday, Universal released an official photo of Damon in costume as Odysseus.
Additional casting information, set pictures and film details will most likely begin to trickle out when filming begins.
Fans will be in for a real treat with “The Odyssey” based on his past achievements in the cinematic universe.
When the time gets closer for the film to be released, be sure to check your local movie theater’s website to find out how to get tickets and to see it the way Nolan intended in IMAX.