Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ First Poster Revealed, Trailer Coming Soon, Charlize Theron’s Role Announced

Christopher Nolan is back with a new epic film called The Odyssey, which is based on the famous ancient Greek poem by Homer. The movie is being made by Nolan’s own company, Syncopy, and will be released by Universal Pictures.

Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who tries to find his way back home after the Trojan War to reunite with his wife, Penelope. The film also features a star-studded cast including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal.

The project was announced in October 2024, when it became clear Nolan was working on his next film with Universal, following his 2023 movie Oppenheimer. Casting happened in the months after, and in December, Universal officially confirmed the film would adapt Homer’s Odyssey.

Filming began in late February 2025 and is taking place across many locations such as Morocco, Greece, Italy, Los Angeles, Iceland, the UK, Scotland, and Ireland. The production budget is huge, around $250 million, making it the most expensive movie Nolan has made so far. It will also be the first big blockbuster shot entirely using IMAX film cameras.

The movie is set to hit theaters in the US on July 17, 2026. Along with the announcement, the first official poster was released. It shows the tagline “Defy the Gods”. Fans can expect a teaser trailer to be attached to Jurassic World Rebirth screenings starting soon.

While the story centers on Matt Damon as Odysseus and his difficult journey home, the cast is full of well-known names. Charlize Theron, who plays the enchantress Circe, shared how she feels about joining the project.

She told Variety, “I will be the new kid on the block. Everybody will know what they are doing and not me.” In Greek mythology, Circe is known for her magical powers and is often described as the daughter of the sun god Helios.

Charlize Theron talks about Christopher Nolan’s ‘THE ODYSSEY’pic.twitter.com/ra9KcSwt2A

— Nolan Art & Updates (Fan Account) (@NolanAnalyst) June 29, 2025

Nolan’s collaboration with Matt Damon is nothing new, as they worked together on Oppenheimer and Interstellar. Other actors who have worked with Nolan before, like Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson, also joined the cast in undisclosed roles. Newcomers like Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, and Jon Bernthal add more excitement to the ensemble.

Some fans have already seen pictures of Matt Damon in costume as Odysseus. Although some experts pointed out the armor’s historical inaccuracies, the movie promises to deliver epic visuals. The costume designer Ellen Mirojnick and composer Ludwig Göransson, both returning from Oppenheimer, are contributing their talents to this film.

Christopher Nolan chose to make The Odyssey instead of directing Troy, which he was once connected to many years ago. The story focuses on Odysseus’s long and dangerous journey back after the Trojan War, rather than retelling familiar Roman tales like Caesar or Antony and Cleopatra, which Nolan said have been done many times.

Production is still underway in Scotland and will likely continue in Ireland and the UK. With such a big budget and advanced IMAX technology, The Odyssey is shaping up to be a grand, visually stunning film. Universal has set the release for July 17, 2026, and fans can look forward to seeing this mythic action epic on the big screen.

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