Matt Damon Reflects on Christopher Nolan’s Monumental Odyssey

Matt Damon has been candid about his experience working on Christopher Nolan’s latest epic, The Odyssey, describing it as a project of such magnitude that it may well be the last of its kind in his career. Speaking on Netflix’s Skip Intro podcast, Damon admitted he was still processing the enormity of the production, having taken on a leading role after previously supporting Nolan’s work from the sidelines.

The actor, best known for his turn as Jason Bourne, confessed the film left a lasting impression. He didn’t shy away from calling it a unique opportunity, one that might never come his way again.

“Doing ‘The Odyssey’ this last year, it felt like my one chance in my life to make a David Lean movie, you know? That I was making the last big movie on film that I was ever going to get to make.”

Damon noted the timing of the project was fortuitous. He reckoned he would have struggled with the demands of the role two decades ago, but now, he found himself relishing every challenging moment on set.

“If I look objectively at what was required to do that job, I think it came at just the right time in my life. I think I would have been miserable 20 years ago, trying to do that job. You were uncomfortable every day. But I really enjoyed, like, deeply enjoyed every minute of it.”

Gratitude and Nostalgia on Set

After his portrayal of Lt. General Leslie Groves in Oppenheimer, Damon was approached for this new venture. He brought a touch of that same authority to his role in The Odyssey, a film based on Homer’s legendary poem. On the podcast, Damon expressed genuine gratitude for the opportunity to work with such a talented director and ensemble. The experience, he said, stirred up memories of his early days in the industry and the sense of awe he felt as a newcomer.

“But to really feel gratitude — and I think because it was tied into not only the joy of being able to have a role that great with a director that great with a group of people that great and a story that great, but in that sense of nostalgia I had for how I started, how I came into the business, the feeling I had when I was shooting ‘School Ties’ and Freddie Francis was the cinematographer and I, you know, and I was like, ‘This is really happening.’”

Tom Holland, another key member of the cast, echoed Damon’s sentiments. For Holland, sharing scenes with Damon and Anne Hathaway was nothing short of a dream.

“Matt Damon has always been a hero of mine, Anne Hathaway has always been a hero of mine. So to share scenes with them, to learn from them, to become friends with them, I couldn’t have asked for a better job.”

Breaking New Ground in Filmmaking

Damon also highlighted the film’s technical achievement: it is the first Hollywood production shot entirely on IMAX film cameras. He recounted how Nolan was determined to use the format throughout, and succeeded in doing so. The cast, which includes Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, Elliot Page, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, and Will Yun Lee, brings together a remarkable array of talent.

Damon’s involvement with Nolan dates back to Interstellar and Oppenheimer, making this his third collaboration with the director. With this, he joins a select group of actors who have worked with Nolan on three or more occasions. The film was shot on location in Morocco and Sicily, adding to its sweeping, cinematic feel.

Cast and Characters Unveiled

Details about the plot remain closely guarded, but it’s been revealed that Damon takes on the role of Odysseus. The rest of the cast fill out the mythic world: Tom Holland as Telemachus, Zendaya as Athena, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Benny Safdie as Agamemnon, Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, Charlize Theron as Circe, John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, and Mia Goth as Melantho. Some roles, including those played by Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page, are still under wraps.

With the critical and commercial triumph of Oppenheimer still fresh, expectations for The Odyssey are running high. The film is set to arrive in cinemas on 17 July 2026.