The wait is over for fans of cinema and Homer’s work: the first official trailer for The Odyssey, the new film from acclaimed director Christopher Nolan, is now available and has generated a wave of anticipation around the world. The teaser, released by Universal Pictures, shows numerous scenes that point to a film project of enormous visual and narrative ambition, destined to be one of the big events of the year 2026 on the big screen.
The film, with an all-star cast led by Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, Jon Bernthal, Ben Safdie, John Leguizamo and Elliot Page, will be released in theaters worldwide on July 17, 2026. Since its reveal, the trailer has even been screened in IMAX theaters with an extended version ahead of other films such as Avatar: Fire and Ash.
A visual epic that surpasses anything seen before
The Odyssey teaser shows glimpses of spectacular sequences – from devastated battlefields to ships tossed by giant waves – and confirms that Nolan has taken his cinematic vision to a whole new level. The trailer has surpassed 13 million views in 24 hours, a figure that underscores the enormous public and critical interest in this new adaptation of one of the most influential texts in world literature.
Far from being limited to a classical interpretation, the trailer suggests that the film will mix elements of adventure, horror, mystery and romance, a combination that Nolan himself defined as essential to Homer’s original epic. As he explained, The Odyssey contains elements that “are not a genre, it is the matrix of all genres,” which justifies the ambition of the project and its technical approach.
An all-star cast at the service of a millenary history
The cast of The Odyssey has been one of the highlights since the filming was announced. The film brings together contemporary acting stars to play the main characters in the journey of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, who after the Trojan War embarks on a journey home marked by dangers, monsters and challenges. The role of Odysseus is played by Matt Damon, while Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland also play central roles in this epic narrative.
The story, faithful in essence to the classic poem, follows the hero’s odyssey after ten years of war, facing gods, sea creatures and his own internal conflicts. Along the way, his companions perish and Odysseus struggles to survive, while in Ithaca his wife Penelope and son Telemachus try to defend their home against suitors who threaten to force the queen to marry.
Unprecedented filming with IMAX technology
One of the most striking features of The Odyssey is not only its cast or its story, but the way it has been filmed. The film is the first in history to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras, which is a significant technological leap. To make this possible, IMAX developed a new generation of cameras that are 30% quieter and considerably lighter, fine-tuning the use of this technology in all aspects of filming.
The production spread its principal photography over 91 days between February and August 2025, shooting in multiple real locations such as Morocco (especially in Aït Benhaddou to recreate Troy), Greece, Italy, Scotland and Iceland. The more adventurous aspects of the shoot included four months on the open sea, with the cast shooting on real waves, adding authenticity and a unique physical presence to the maritime scenes.
Images that defy the imagination
The trailer, with its dense and solemn atmosphere, offers classic iconography such as the Trojan Horse being dragged from the sea by hundreds of Trojans, which has already become one of the most talked-about scenes. Odysseus and his men are also shown traversing forests, penetrating dark caves and facing primordial elements that combine realism with myth.
A voiceover from Damon in the trailer says, “After years of war, no one could come between my men and home. Not even me,” anticipating the emotional charge and dramatic intensity that Nolan seeks to convey. Although not all the mythological creatures of the story – such as the Cyclops Polyphemus, the mermaids or the sorceress Circe –have been shown yet, many expect these figures to appear in future scenes, contrasting with the realistic aesthetics of the rest of the film.
One of Nolan’s most expensive productions.
With an estimated budget of $250 million, The Odyssey ranks among the most expensive productions of Christopher Nolan’s career. The director began writing the script in March 2024, and in just a few months, Universal Pictures greenlit the project, confirming its meteoric ambition.
Nolan has described how his approach was based on identifying absences in contemporary filmmaking, concluding that Greek mythology had never received “the big-budget Hollywood treatment with total dramatic credibility.” This vision justifies the emphasis on shooting on real sets, with massive extras and with a physical commitment in which much of the action was executed on real waves and natural landscapes impossible to replicate with CGI.
Expectations and comparison with other recent success stories
Following Oppenheimer’ s success in 2023, which was one of the biggest milestones in Nolan’s recent filmography, The Odyssey presents itself as a completely different challenge. Whereas Oppenheimer delved into dense historical biography, The Odyssey seeks to capture both an epic and emotional narrative, broadening the spectrum of adventure cinema with monumental scale.
The trailer has been hailed as “a genuine delicacy for devotees of the director,” combining musical fanfare, striking imagery and a solemn atmosphere that suggests Nolan is exploring new cinematic territory without abandoning the majesty that characterizes his style.
