Christopher Nolan Says Homer Built The First Cinematic Universe Long Before Marvel And George Lucas

So, Christopher Nolan is gearing up to tackle The Odyssey, and if you thought this was going to be just another swords-and-sandals movie, you might want to recalibrate your expectations. Nolan, as usual, is swinging big — not just with his cast or his filmmaking toys, but with how he’s framing the whole project.

Homer: The First Superhero Franchise?

Here’s where things get equal parts academic and a little meta. Asked about his approach on The Late Show, Nolan made a comparison that probably nobody else would have the guts to say out loud (that's why we love the guy). In his words:

'The thing about Homer… it is the Marvel of its day.'

Yeah, he really went there. And he didn’t stop. Nolan went on to draw a straight line from Homer straight to George Lucas, basically saying Homer was, for ancient times, what Lucas is for modern blockbuster storytelling. You know, storytelling universes, gods and mortals mixing it up, giant threads tying everything together — he sees it as the old school blueprint for today's franchise juggernauts, like Marvel or DC. Whether you agree or not, it’s a pretty fun angle for an epic that’s been remade about as many times as there are streaming services.

If You’re Wondering About the Cast…

Nolan’s gone full A-list. Here’s your main lineup:

• Matt Damon is taking on Odysseus himself
• Tom Holland is playing Telemachus
• Anne Hathaway as Penelope
• Robert Pattinson in a not-quite-revealed (but presumably important) role

He even put a special spotlight on Tom Holland, calling him 'an incredible talent' and saying he'd happily cast him again.

Nolan’s Pressure Cooker

Nolan laid it out: adapting The Odyssey isn’t just making a movie. It's wrangling with the sky-high hopes of every epic-loving fan out there. In his own words, 'Anyone taking on The Odyssey is taking on the hopes and dreams of people for epic movies everywhere.' So yes, he knows the stakes, and he says he’s aiming for an interpretation that's both strong and sincere — not just pretty visuals (though, with Nolan, you'll probably get those too).

The Production: Go Big or Go Home

If you had any doubts that this would look enormous, well, the movie is shot entirely on IMAX cameras. And Nolan isn’t sticking to one set or location, either — filming took place all over the globe, in true epic style.

Bottom line: the release date is set for July 17, 2026, and Nolan’s The Odyssey is shaping up to be one of those cinematic ‘events’ that gets talked about all year — maybe even longer, if he nails it (or really screws it up, but let’s be optimistic). Classic Greek poetry, blockbuster scale, and a director who clearly sees Homer as an old-school Kevin Feige — what could possibly go wrong? Or right? I guess we’ll see.