Because Christopher Nolan movies never miss, Universal Pictures knows they have a big hit on their hands with The Odyssey. They aren’t wasting any time building up the hype for the upcoming blockbuster, by today releasing the first look at Matt Damon as Odysseus, the tragic hero of Homer’s epic poem.
Production is underway on The Odyssey, and the new image shows Damon in classic Greek soldier garb as Odysseus. Events should be after the fall of Troy, as Odysseus and his men face many trials on the journey home, including the deadly Cyclops, the seductive sirens, the deceptive goddess Circe (who turns them into pigs), and more.
Joining Damon in the cast are Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, and Mia Goth.
An interesting note is that Nolan was offered the directing gig on 2004’s historical epic Troy, which precedes events in The Odyssey, but turned it down to do Batman Begins.
It remains to be seen how closely Nolan follows the mythological aspects of the story, or if he strips them out in favor of something more grounded as seen recently in The Return.
The Odyssey opens in theaters on July 17th 2026.
