First Trailer Details Leak for Christopher Nolan’s Epic ‘The Odyssey’

Christopher Nolan is taking on a whole new kind of story with The Odyssey, his latest movie that dives deep into ancient Greek mythology. It’s based on Homer’s famous poem, and it stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king who’s trying to get back home after the Trojan War.

A leaked trailer description from Daniel Richtman on Patreon has given fans an early look at what to expect—and it sounds intense, dark, and emotional.

The trailer kicks off with a shot of the ocean. Matt Damon’s voice comes in with some narration, setting the tone. There’s a mention of Zeus, and we see close-up shots of waves hitting the beach. Then there’s a strange moment with men on horses riding fast toward a giant black object sitting on the shore, it looks like it might be a piece of a wrecked ship, maybe shaped like a horse.

The sea keeps showing up throughout the trailer. After that, it cuts to Tom Holland, who plays Telemachus. He’s talking to Jon Bernthal’s character, asking questions about his missing father, Odysseus.

Bernthal doesn’t seem too happy to be answering. In a scene that sounds like something out of The Punisher, Bernthal storms around and asks, “Who has a story of Odysseus, huh? Is it you? Do you have a story? Some say he’s rich and some say he’s poor.”

The trailer then shows men walking into a creepy cave, and another voice says, “Some say he perished, some say he’s imprisoned.” Telemachus looks heartbroken, trying to find the truth, but Bernthal’s character clearly doesn’t want to hear gossip.

It ends with a long, lonely shot of Matt Damon drifting in the middle of the sea on a broken piece of his ship. The words “THE ODYSSEY” appear, and the trailer fades out with haunting music.

The movie is being made by Nolan’s company Syncopy and will be released by Universal Pictures. This is Nolan’s first film after Oppenheimer, and it’s a big one. The cast is stacked. Alongside Damon and Holland, there’s Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal. Damon has worked with Nolan before, in Interstellar and Oppenheimer, so they clearly have a good connection.

Richtman posted the trailer description on his Patreon account.

Universal officially announced the movie in October 2024. Filming started in early 2025 and has been happening all over Greece, Italy, Iceland, Morocco, Los Angeles, the UK, and Ireland. The budget is around $250 million, which makes it the most expensive film Nolan has ever made. It’s also the first full-length blockbuster to be shot entirely with IMAX film cameras.

Some photos of Damon in costume as Odysseus have already been seen online. A few people have pointed out that the armor isn’t totally accurate, but the movie’s visuals still look amazing. The costumes are being designed by Ellen Mirojnick, who also worked on Oppenheimer. The music is by Ludwig Göransson, who’s also returning for this project. Based on the trailer, the score is dark and heavy, matching the mysterious mood of the story.

Nolan had been linked to a Troy movie years ago, but he ended up going with The Odyssey instead. He’s said he finds Odysseus’s journey home more interesting than the typical Roman tales like Caesar or Cleopatra.

Filming is still happening in places like Scotland, but The Odyssey is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 17, 2026. With the huge budget, massive cast, and Nolan behind the camera, this movie is already shaping up to be something fans won’t want to miss.

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