Christopher Nolan is leaving the world of nuclear physics behind and stepping into one of history’s greatest legends. Fresh off the historic success of Oppenheimer, the Oscar-winning filmmaker is bringing Homer’s The Odyssey to the big screen with what already looks like his most ambitious production to date. Universal Pictures has released a brand-new trailer that offers the clearest look yet at Nolan’s mythological epic, teasing breathtaking visuals, massive practical action, and a star-studded cast. Scheduled to arrive in cinemas and IMAX on July 17, 2026, the film is already shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest theatrical events.
New Trailer Offers a Spectacular Look at Odysseus’ Journey
The latest trailer introduces audiences to Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary King of Ithaca whose desperate voyage home after the Trojan War forms one of the most influential stories in world literature. Although Universal continues to keep much of the plot under wraps, the film follows Odysseus as he struggles to reunite with his wife Penelope and son Telemachus while battling mythical creatures, divine wrath, betrayal, temptation, and countless life-threatening obstacles along the way.
The footage showcases several memorable moments from the ancient Greek epic, including the enormous Trojan Horse sequence, which has already become one of the film’s biggest talking points. Universal has revealed that the sequence was created as a large-scale practical production involving thousands of soldiers instead of relying heavily on computer-generated imagery. The trailer also offers a first substantial look at Charlize Theron as Calypso, whose role promises to become one of the emotional and dramatic highlights of the story.
Nolan has often explored large-scale storytelling throughout his career, but The Odyssey appears to push those ambitions even further. Rather than simply adapting a famous literary work, the filmmaker is presenting the ancient tale as a massive cinematic experience built specifically for premium theatrical screens. That approach is reflected throughout the trailer, where sweeping landscapes, enormous battle scenes, and intimate character moments are all captured with remarkable visual scale.
Nolan Achieves a Longtime IMAX Goal
One of the film’s biggest achievements lies behind the camera. According to Universal Pictures, The Odyssey is the first feature film ever shot entirely using IMAX cameras, marking a significant technical milestone for both Nolan and the format itself. The production was filmed across multiple international locations, including Greece, Morocco, Italy, Iceland, and Scotland, giving the ancient adventure an authentic global backdrop.
To make the project possible, Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema worked with a new generation of lighter IMAX cameras that addressed many of the format’s traditional limitations, including size, weight, and operational noise. The technological breakthrough allowed the filmmakers to shoot every scene using IMAX photography, something Nolan has reportedly hoped to accomplish for years.
Speaking about the project previously, Nolan described the accomplishment as a “longest-held ambition,” while reflecting on the legendary source material by saying, “It’s not a story—it’s the story.” His comments underline the enormous importance the filmmaker places on Homer’s epic, which has influenced literature, theatre, and cinema for centuries.
An All-Star Cast Brings the Greek Epic to Life
Beyond its visual ambition, The Odyssey boasts one of the most impressive ensemble casts assembled for a modern blockbuster. Alongside Matt Damon, the film stars Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, Zendaya as Athena, Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, Mia Goth as Melantho, John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, and Benny Safdie as Agamemnon.
The supporting cast is equally extensive, featuring Elliot Page, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Corey Hawkins, Nick E. Tarabay, Jimmy Gonzales, Maurice Compte, Michael Vlamis, Iddo Goldberg, Josh Stewart, Ryan Hurst, Anthony Molinari, Jovan Adepo, Logan Marshall-Green, James Remar, Travis Scott, Sean Avery, and Ian Casselberry.
The project also marks Nolan’s second collaboration with Universal Pictures following the phenomenal success of Oppenheimer, which earned Best Picture, Best Director, and generated nearly $1 billion at the worldwide box office. Rather than following that triumph with a smaller project, Nolan has once again chosen to pursue a massive cinematic spectacle, this time reimagining one of humanity’s oldest surviving stories.
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey is produced by Emma Thomas and Nolan under their Syncopy banner, with Thomas Hayslip serving as executive producer. With groundbreaking filmmaking technology, an extraordinary cast, and one of literature’s greatest adventures as its foundation, The Odyssey is already emerging as one of the most anticipated films of 2026 ahead of its worldwide theatrical and IMAX release on July 17, 2026.
