Universal Pictures
NEED TO KNOW
Christopher Nolan's retelling of the Homer epic The Odyssey follows Odysseus' 10-year journey home after the Trojan War
The movie stars Matt Damon as Odysseus and Tom Holland as his son Telemachus, who are joined by Anne Hathaway, Zendaya and more
The Odyssey hits theaters on July 17, 2026
With less than a year before the highly anticipated epic finally hits theaters, thefirst official trailerforThe Odysseyis finally here.
The latest footage of the upcomingChristopher Nolanfilm adaptation of Homer's Greek poem debuted in December 2025 after a shorter, 70-second teaser premiered online in July, giving fans a peek atMatt DamonandTom Hollandin character as Odysseus and Telemachus, respectively, along with shots of the Trojan Horse.
On July 2, the film'sXaccount released the official poster for the film, which showed a Greek statue surrounded by ash. "Defy the gods," the poster reads.
The movie was first confirmed back in December 2024, when Universal Pictures announced onXthat, "Christopher Nolan's next film 'The Odyssey' is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology."
Nolan's adaptation will feature a starry cast, including Damon, Holland,Anne Hathaway,Zendaya,Robert Pattinson,John Leguizamo,Lupita Nyong'oandCharlize Theron.
From the cast to the release date, here's everything to know about Christopher Nolan's next project,The Odyssey.
What willTheOdysseybe about?
Universal Pictures
Universal Pictures shared on X that Nolan's project would tell the story of Homer's ancient Greek poem,The Odyssey.
The timeless tale unfolds across 24 non-linear books, chronicling the perilous, 10-year journey of Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, as he returns home after the Trojan War. His wife, Penelope, and their son, Telemachus, struggle to maintain order back home, where a handful of suitors compete for Penelope's affection, under the assumption that Odysseus is dead.
Telemachus sets out on a secret journey to discover any news of his father. He encounters Nestor and Menelaus — two men who fought with Odysseus in the war at Troy — and learns that he is still alive.
Meanwhile, along his journey, Odysseus encounters iconic figures from Greek mythology, including the nymph Calypso, the sorceress Circe and the goddess Athena, all while striving to reunite with his family. After being held captive and facing multiple shipwrecks, Odysseus finally returns home to Ithaca, where he must devise a plan to rid his home of the suitors and take back control of his kingdom.
Who is in the cast ofThe Odyssey?
Michael TRAN / AFP; John Nacion/Getty; Kevin Mazur/Getty
Nolan's adaptation ofThe Odysseyboasts a star-studded cast ready to bring the ancient Greek epic to life.
In February 2025, Universal Pictures announced that Damon will play the lead character,Odysseus. He previously starred in Nolan's latest film,Oppenheimer, marking a reunion between the actor and director.
Hathaway is also set to join the ensemble, reuniting with Nolan after starring in 2012'sThe Dark Knight Risesand 2014'sInterstellar.
The Odysseyalso marks anon-screen reunionbetweenreal-life coupleZendaya and Holland, who starred together in theSpider-Manmovies.
Holland shared onGood Morning Americain October 2024 that he was "incredibly excited" and "obviously honored" when Nolan called him with the casting news — despite not knowing any details about the project.
"When the opportunity came in, it was the phone call of a lifetime," theUnchartedactor said. "It was reminiscent of getting the call aboutSpider-Man10 years ago. It's an amazing thing for me. I'm super proud and I'm really, really excited."
During a December episode of theDishpodcast, Holland shared that having Zendaya by his side on set was the "best thing that's ever happened to me" — and studios loved it too. "One hotel room!" he joked.
The couple will also be joined by A-list stars, including Pattinson, Nyong'o and Theron.
Who is directingThe Odyssey?
Rodin Eckenroth/Getty
The Odysseywill be directed by Nolan, who is fresh off his 2024Academy Awardwins for Best Picture and Best Achievement in Directing for 2023'sOppenheimer.
Nolan also gained recognition for writing and directing acclaimed films such as 2010'sInception,2014'sInterstellarand 2020'sTenet.
Is there a trailer forTheOdyssey?
Thefirst official trailerforThe Odysseyarrived in December 2025 and includes glimpses of Odysseus' journey, along with some of the first footage of the main cast in character for the film.
The earliest teaser forThe Odysseypremiered exclusively in theaters in July, playing ahead ofJurassic World Rebirth. Before long, the footage from the trailer leaked online, appearing on X and TikTok.
The trailer opens with shots of the sea and a voiceover about Odysseus' victory in the Trojan War.
"Darkness. Zeus' laws smashed to pieces. A kingdom without a king since my master died," a voice belonging to Leguizamo's character says.
A voice seemingly belonging to Pattinson's character then adds, "He knew it was an unwinnable war, and then somehow ... somehow, he won it."
Then, fans see Holland's Telemachus saying he has "to find out what happened to my father." Then, the teaser fast forwards to "one year later," before revealing that Damon's Odysseus is stranded in the ocean.
The December 2025 trailer shows the fabled Trojan Horse moment, when Odysseus and his army successfully invaded Troy by stowing themselves away in a large wooden horse.
When willThe Odysseybe released?
Universal Pictures
The Odysseywill be released in theaters on July 17, 2026.
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