The mystery is finally over: Christopher Nolan’s next film is The Odyssey, a big-screen adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic — and it reunites him with Matt Damon and Tom Holland. After the runaway success of Oppenheimer, which grossed roughly $976 million worldwide, expectations for Nolan’s follow-up could hardly be higher.
Brought to the screen by Universal Pictures, the project turns one of the foundational stories of Western literature into a sweeping action-adventure shot on large-format IMAX film cameras. It is shaping up to be one of 2026’s defining cinematic events — and a fascinating test of how Nolan adapts a 3,000-year-old poem for a modern blockbuster audience.
Who Is Starring in The Odyssey?
The ensemble is stacked. Matt Damon leads as Odysseus, the battle-weary king of Ithaca fighting to find his way home after the Trojan War, while Tom Holland — best known as Spider-Man — plays his son, Telemachus. Anne Hathaway co-stars as Penelope, with Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron filling out a remarkable supporting cast.
Nolan directs from his own screenplay, with longtime producing partner and wife Emma Thomas producing through their company, Syncopy. Cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema returns behind the camera, and the production has leaned all the way into Nolan’s love of celluloid — reportedly making this the first feature shot entirely with IMAX film cameras.
When Does The Odyssey Release?
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey opens in theaters on July 17, 2026, following a global premiere in London on July 6. Expect a wide IMAX and premium large-format rollout, in keeping with how Nolan has built his recent films as must-see-on-the-biggest-screen theatrical events.
What Is The Odyssey About?
Homer’s Odyssey follows Odysseus on his decade-long voyage home from the Trojan War — a journey that pits him against the Cyclops Polyphemus, the deadly song of the Sirens and the nymph Calypso, all while Penelope fends off suitors back in Ithaca. It is a timeless story of endurance, cunning and homecoming, and exactly the kind of rich source material that has tempted filmmakers for generations. In Nolan’s hands, that ancient adaptation challenge — compressing an epic poem into a single propulsive film — is half the intrigue.
It is worth clearing up the speculation that swirled before the project was confirmed. Early rumors — floated by outlets such as Gizmodo — variously pegged Nolan’s next film as a 1920s period horror story about vampires or a futuristic New York action thriller built around the NYPD Aviation Unit, complete with Blue Thunder-style helicopter action. None of it panned out: the official reveal of The Odyssey put those theories firmly to rest.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey arrives in theaters on July 17, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
What is Christopher Nolan’s new movie with Matt Damon and Tom Holland?
It is The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek poem. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca making his perilous journey home after the Trojan War, and Tom Holland plays his son Telemachus. (Earlier reports that floated a vampire horror story or an NYPD helicopter-cop action film were speculation and have since been debunked.)
When does The Odyssey release and who is distributing it?
Universal Pictures is set to release The Odyssey in theaters on July 17, 2026, with screenings planned in IMAX and other premium large formats. Nolan reportedly shot the film using IMAX film cameras.
Who else is in the cast and who is producing The Odyssey?
Alongside Matt Damon and Tom Holland, the reported ensemble includes Anne Hathaway as Penelope, plus Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron. Christopher Nolan is directing, with Nolan and Emma Thomas producing through their company Syncopy. It follows Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which grossed nearly $1 billion ($976 million) worldwide.
