The Odyssey (2026): Everything We Know — Release Date, Cast and Plot

Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s The Odyssey is shaping up to be one of the biggest films of 2026 — a $250 million, IMAX-shot epic with one of the starriest casts he’s ever assembled. We’ve pulled together everything confirmed so far in one place, from release date to full cast breakdown, and we’ll keep updating this as more details land.

When Is The Odyssey Released?

The Odyssey opens in cinemas on 17 July 2026. It’s the first Hollywood production shot entirely on IMAX cameras, and advance demand has already broken records: London’s BFI IMAX sold 28,000 tickets and took £750,000 in the first 24 hours of pre-sales — more than double what Oppenheimer managed in the same window, and well ahead of Dune: Part Two. In the US, AMC reported the highest first-day advance sales for its premium screens in four years.

Full Cast and Character Guide

• Matt Damon as Odysseus
• Anne Hathaway as Penelope
• Tom Holland as Telemachus
• Zendaya as Athena
• Robert Pattinson as Antinous
• Charlize Theron as Circe
• Benny Safdie as Agamemnon
• Jon Bernthal as Menelaus
• John Leguizamo as Eumaeus
• Mia Goth as Melantho
• Himesh Patel as Eurylochus

Lupita Nyong’o, Elliot Page, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia and Will Yun Lee are also confirmed for the film, though their roles haven’t been revealed yet. For Matt Damon, it’s his third collaboration with Nolan after Interstellar and Oppenheimer.

What Is The Odyssey About?

The film adapts Homer’s epic poem, following Odysseus’s long, perilous journey home after the fall of Troy — and the family he left behind trying to hold things together in his absence. Nolan has said the heart of the story is the family drama of Odysseus reconnecting with Penelope and Telemachus, rather than a straightforward monster-of-the-week adventure.

As for the gods, don’t expect a CGI Zeus hurling thunderbolts: Nolan says divinity is baked into the atmosphere rather than shown outright — “the thunder, the tides coming in, the wind blowing… that’s all evidence of divinity.” One detail he has confirmed: “We have a horse.”

One choice that’s already sparked debate: the cast speaks in modern American accents rather than anything more ‘classical’. Nolan’s reasoning, according to co-star Himesh Patel, is simply that American is the accent with the broadest reach.

Runtime, Budget and IMAX Format

• Runtime: 2 hours 53 minutes (172 minutes), including credits — Nolan’s second-longest film after Oppenheimer
• Budget: around $250 million, reportedly Nolan’s most expensive film to date
• Format: shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film cameras — a first for a Hollywood production
• Filming locations: Greece, Morocco and Sicily, shot February–August 2025

Behind the Scenes

Matt Damon underwent a significant physical transformation for the role, dropping to 167 pounds — the lightest he’s been since school — and cutting gluten to get the lean, weathered look Nolan wanted. He’s called the role “the pinnacle of my entire career” and has suggested it could be the last big movie he shoots on film.

Nolan wrote, directed and co-produced the film with his longtime producing partner (and wife) Emma Thomas, under their Syncopy banner.

The Bottom Line

With Nolan’s biggest budget yet, an all-star cast, and record-breaking advance ticket sales already in the bank, The Odyssey is shaping up to be one of the defining releases of summer 2026. We’ll keep this page updated as Nolan and the cast reveal more.

Related Coverage

• Matt Damon on why Odyssey is his defining role
• Matt Damon reflects on the scale of the production
• How the Greek gods drive every twist
• Why the cast speaks with American accents
• The one star who insisted on reading the script first
• Runtime confirmed at 2h 53m
• IMAX presale records in the UK and US

Last updated: 16 July 2026.