After Oppenheimer swept the Oscars and earned nearly $900 million at the box office, the entire film world had one question: what does Christopher Nolan do next? Now we know. And it might just be the most ambitious film of his career.
The Odyssey hits cinemas on July 17, 2026. Here’s everything you need to know.
What Is It About?
The film is a direct adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic — one of the most influential stories ever written. It follows Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca, on his long and brutal journey home after the Trojan War. Along the way, he faces mythical creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, the deadly Sirens, and the enchantress Circe — all while his family back home waits and wonders if he’ll ever return.
It’s a 3,000-year-old story. In Nolan’s hands, it could feel brand new.
A Cast Like No Other
Nolan has assembled one of the most star-studded casts Hollywood has ever seen.
Matt Damon leads the film as Odysseus. Anne Hathaway plays his loyal wife Penelope. Tom Holland steps into the role of Telemachus, Odysseus’s son. Zendaya plays the goddess Athena. Charlize Theron takes on the role of Circe. Robert Pattinson plays Antinous. Lupita Nyong’o, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, Elliot Page, and Benny Safdie round out the ensemble.
This isn’t just a cast — it’s a generation of Hollywood’s finest talent in one film. If Oppenheimer’s ensemble was impressive, this is on another level entirely.
Shot Entirely on IMAX — A First in Cinema History
This is where things get truly remarkable.
The Odyssey is the first feature film in history to be shot entirely on IMAX’s 70mm film cameras. Not partly. Not mostly. Every single scene, every single frame — all IMAX.
To pull this off, Nolan used a newly developed, lighter and quieter version of the IMAX camera. The production used over 2 million feet of IMAX 70mm film across a 91-day shoot. Locations spanned Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Iceland, Western Sahara, and Malta — plus studio soundstages in Los Angeles.
Nolan wanted to capture the physical reality of these journeys. He wanted audiences to feel the weight of an unmapped, uncharted world. IMAX was the only way to do that justice.
A Budget to Match the Vision
With an estimated budget of $250 million, this is the most expensive film Nolan has ever made. For context, Oppenheimer cost around $100 million. Nolan has more than doubled that here.
Every penny of it appears to be on screen. No green screens. No shortcuts. Real locations, real scale, practical effects wherever possible. That’s always been Nolan’s signature — and with this budget, he’s taking it further than ever before.
The Hype Is Already Enormous
IMAX tickets for opening weekend went on sale in July 2025 — a full year before the film’s release. Half of the 22 available US IMAX venues sold out within 12 hours, generating around $1.5 million in pre-sales alone. That kind of demand is almost unheard of.
The official trailer, released in December 2025, racked up over 121 million views in its first 24 hours. A second trailer featuring Travis Scott followed in January 2026.
IMDb users have already ranked it the most anticipated film of 2026. Variety has predicted it could become the highest-grossing film of the year — and possibly the highest-grossing film of Nolan’s entire career, surpassing both The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.
How Long Will It Be?
Nolan recently confirmed that The Odyssey will run under three hours. The reason? IMAX projectors max out at three hours of footage. Since Nolan is committed to showing the film in its full IMAX format wherever possible, he had no choice but to keep it within that limit.
“There’s a massive amount of pressure,” Nolan said. “Anyone taking on The Odyssey is taking on the hopes and dreams of people for epic movies everywhere — and that comes with a huge responsibility.”
That quote alone tells you everything about how seriously he’s taken this project.
Could This Be His Best Film?
Every Nolan film arrives with enormous expectation. Every single one of his 12 previous films holds a Fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. That’s a perfect record across an entire career.
The Odyssey ticks every box. A legendary source story. A record-breaking cast. Never-before-seen camera technology. A $250 million budget. Real-world locations across five continents. A composer in Ludwig Göransson who just won an Oscar for Oppenheimer’s score.
July 17, 2026 cannot come fast enough.
Mohit Swami is the Head of Content at GYANTV, overseeing content strategy, editorial planning, and quality control across the platform. With experience in managing digital content workflows, he ensures that every article aligns with accuracy standards, audience relevance, and ethical publishing practices. His work focuses on building trustworthy, engaging, and reader-first content in health, lifestyle, and trending news categories.