First Glimpse of Jon Bernthal and Tom Holland in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Revealed

Christopher Nolan is making a big return with his new film, The Odyssey. This epic action fantasy is based on the ancient Greek poem by Homer. The story follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, played by Matt Damon, as he faces many challenges on his long journey home after the Trojan War.

Along the way, Odysseus meets famous mythical creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe, who is played by Charlize Theron. The movie also stars Tom Holland as Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, and features Jon Bernthal in a key role. The cast includes many other well-known actors such as Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, and Robert Pattinson.

This film is Nolan’s first project after his 2023 success, Oppenheimer. It was officially announced in December 2024 and has a huge budget of around $250 million, making it the most expensive movie Nolan has worked on so far. Another exciting fact is that The Odyssey is the first big film to be shot completely using IMAX film cameras.

Filming began in February 2025 and took place in several beautiful locations around the world. The crew shot scenes in Morocco, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Scotland, the UK, and Ireland. Some memorable scenes, like those with the Cyclops Polyphemus, were filmed near the Methoni Castle and Nestor’s Cave in Greece. Later, the team moved to Italy’s Aeolian Islands, which are even mentioned in the original poem. Parts of the film were also shot in studios in Los Angeles.

Matt Damon was confirmed early to play Odysseus, and the first images of him in costume sparked some talk about how accurate his armor was to the historical period. The costume design was led by Ellen Mirojnick, while the music was composed by Ludwig Göransson, who also worked with Nolan on Oppenheimer.

Nolan, who wrote, directed, and co-produced The Odyssey through his company Syncopy, partnered with Universal Pictures for this project. The film is set to hit theaters in the US on July 17, 2026.

Recently, fans got their first look at Jon Bernthal and Tom Holland in their roles, which has created even more excitement for this ambitious retelling of a classic story. Universal Pictures calls the film a “mythic action epic” full of adventure and drama.

First Look at Jon Bernthal and Tom Holland in Christopher Nolan's 'THE ODYSSEY.#ChristopherNolan | #TheOdyssey pic.twitter.com/PlPmO2DbMc

— Abhilash (@Abhilashkv20) July 3, 2025

Christopher Nolan shared his feelings about the project, saying it’s been a dream to bring such a famous and ancient story to life in a fresh way.

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