Matt Damon’s Odysseus Revealed in First Look from Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey

The production of Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey has officially begun, as confirmed by the film’s official social media page.

On X, @odysseymovie shared the first-look BTS image of Matt Damon as Odysseus in The Odyssey. It is confirmed that Damon will play the main character in the movie. As in Homer’s The Odyssey, Odysseus is the legendary hero and the king of Ithaca. See the image below.

After the Trojan War, Odysseus tries to return home—but it takes him ten years. Along the way, he faces many challenges—monsters, gods, and tricky situations. His main goal is to reunite with his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus.

The film stars Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as his son Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Circe, Lupita Nyong’o as Calypso, Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, Robert Pattinson, and Corey Hawkins.

Here’s the synopsis for The Odyssey:

The Odyssey will be a mythic action epic based on the ancient Greek poem by Homer. It tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his perilous journey home after the Trojan War. Set in the 8th century BC, after the ten-year Trojan War, the Greek hero Odysseus travels from Troy to Ithaca via Africa and southern Europe. His journey lasts an additional ten years, during which he faces many dangers, and all of his crewmates are killed.

In his absence, Odysseus is presumed dead, leaving his wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, to deal with a group of unruly suitors competing for Penelope’s hand in marriage.

Filming will use brand-new IMAX film technology. Nolan will produce alongside his producing partner and wife, Emma Thomas, under their Syncopy banner. Puck reported that the film will have a $250 million budget, making it one of Nolan’s most expensive films ever.

The Odyssey will hit theaters on July 17, 2026, by Universal Pictures.