Coming off the success ofOppenheimer, Christopher Nolan has decided to tackle the daunting tale of Homer’sThe Odysseyas his next project, which will continue a theme found in most of the filmmaker’s movies.Nolan is, without a doubt, one of the most prolific and renowned directors of the 21st century.So, if anyone were to take onThe Odyssey, it’s fitting that Nolan would be the one to do so. Many have faith that Nolan will do the story justice, especially since the classic story is similar to some of the films he has directed, written, and produced before.
According to Universal Pictures (viaX), Christopher Nolan’sThe Odysseyis “a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 06, 2025.”
Nolan’s 2026 movieThe Odysseyisan adaptation of Homer’s epic poem of the same namewritten around 750-650 BCE (over 2,000 years ago). The story follows Odysseus, a Greek hero and the King of Ithaca. Following the end of the long and hard-fought Trojan War, Odysseus sets out on a journey to return to his home. It takes him ten years, during which he encounters various dangers and threats that impede his progress.The Odyssey’s premise should sound at least a little familiar to fans of Nolan’s work, seeing as it contains one of the director’s most common themes.
The Odyssey Is Yet Another Nolan Movie About A Character’s Journey Back Home
Homer’s Poem Tracks Odysseus' 10-Year Trek After The Trojan War
As mentioned above,The Odysseytracks the progress of Odysseus' journey from Troy to Ithaca, his home,which falls in line with one ofChristopher Nolan’s most common themes. Many of the famous filmmaker’s projects chronicle someone returning home. All of them still differ greatly from one another, of course, but it’s difficult to deny that Nolan loves telling stories about long and difficult journeys that some must take to get back to where they started.The Odysseywill simply be his latest one.
Robert Pattinson
Charlize Theron
While roles haven’t been revealed as of the writing of this article,seven of the cast members in Nolan’sThe Odysseyhave been announced. Nolan is bringing back a handful of actors he has worked with before, including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Robert Pattinson. He has also cast stars who haven’t been in his previous movies, including Zendaya, Tom Holland, Lupiya Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron.One of Damon, Holland, or Pattinson is likely to play Odysseus.Meanwhile, the others might be playing Penelope, Athena, Telemachus, Circe, Polyphemus, and Poseidon (all of whom have important roles inThe Odyssey).
Some Of Nolan’s Best Movies Explore Characters Struggling To Find Their Way Home
Interstellar, Inception, Batman Begins, Etc.
BeforeThe Odyssey, many ofChristopher Nolan’s acclaimed moviescontain a protagonist attempting (or avoiding) to return home, whether it’s a literal journey or a metaphorical one. For example, Nolan’s second movie,Memento, features Guy Pearce’s Leonard lying to himself so he can never return to his real life.Batman Beginsalso chronicles Bruce Wayne’s escape from a Bhutan prisonand return to Gotham City, whileThe Dark Knight Risesfeatures Christian Bale’s character thrust into a similar situation.
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Other Nolan films with a “journey back home” element areInception,Interstellar, andDunkirk. Some of them are more obvious than others, like Matthew McConaughey’s Coop traveling through space, trying to find another home for mankind and return to his children inInterstellar. Or,Dunkirk’s depiction of the Dunkirk evacuationduring World War II. However,The Odyssey’s story will likely have the most clear “journey back home” theme of them all.
Christopher Nolan Is Going Back To The Source With The Odyssey After Similar Stories
Nolan’s Last Film Was The Oscar-Winning Biopic Oppenheimer
Unlike most of his movies, Christopher Nolan will have source material to work with while developingThe Odyssey. His most recent film,Oppenheimer, was based on Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin’s 2005 biographyAmerican Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, though. So, perhaps Nolan wanted to continue adapting stories. It seemingly worked withOppenheimer, which won seven Academy Awards, including Nolan’s first Best Director win. Whatever the case, a lot of hype is building aroundNolan’s next movie,The Odyssey, not only because of who’s making it and who’s in it but also because of the source material.
The Odyssey
Cast
The Odyssey is a 2026 film adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, chronicling Odysseus’s treacherous journey home from the Trojan War. The narrative explores his encounters with mythical creatures such as Polyphemus, the Sirens, and Circe, culminating in his reunion with his wife, Penelope.
