Gladiator lovers, Greek mythology obsessives and epic-movie fans, The Odyssey is for you.
Christopher Nolan has officially dropped the first trailer for his long-awaited big-screen adaptation of Homer’s legendary poem, and it’s already shaping up to be one of the most cinematic events of 2026.
Fresh off the Oscar success of Oppenheimer, the director is turning his attention to gods, monsters and one very long journey home.
What does the first trailer of The Odyssey reveal?
The footage opens on a striking image that immediately signals epic scale: desert sand scattered with fallen soldiers’ armour, arranged like gravestones- a haunting reminder of the Trojan War’s devastation.
Matt Damon appears as a battle-worn Odysseus, his beard thick, his expression heavy with years of fighting. Over the images, a voiceover sets the emotional tone:
“After years of war no one could stand between my men and home, not even me.”
What follows is a rapid-fire glimpse of chaos and beauty- storm-tossed ships battling towering waves, warriors clashing in the dark, and a monstrous figure looming from the shadows.
Matt Damon as Odysseus
Matt Damon leads the film as Odysseus, the Greek king whose 10-year journey home to Ithaca becomes a brutal test of endurance, loyalty and fate.
The trailer shows Odysseus facing both the elements and enemies human and mythical as he fights to reunite with his family.
Anne Hathaway as Penelope
Anne Hathaway stars as Penelope, Odysseus’ steadfast wife, in one of the trailer’s most emotional moments, Penelope pleads: “Promise me you’ll come back.”
Odysseus’ reply is filled with uncertainty: “What if I can’t?” Odysseus’ hesitant answer reminds viewers that beneath the gods and monsters is a man risking everything to get home.
Tom Holland as Telemachus
Tom Holland appears as Telemachus, the son Odysseus leaves behind, offering a quieter but emotionally charged counterpoint to the film’s spectacle.
Though his appearance in the trailer is brief, it hints at a young man growing up in the shadow of an absent father, carrying the weight of legacy and expectation as he waits for Odysseus’ return.
Which mythological moments are teased?
While Christopher Nolan is famously tight-lipped, mythology fans will spot familiar hints.
Odysseus and his men appear to confront a terrifying creature shrouded in darkness, likely the Cyclops, alongside scenes of relentless ocean crossings, violent storms and battles that suggest the gods are far from finished with him.
Who is in the cast of The Odyssey?
If the visuals weren’t enough, the cast list reads like a Hollywood awards season wish list.
Zendaya takes on the role of the goddess Athena, with Robert Pattinson playing Hermes. Lupita Nyong’o stars as Clytemnestra, Charlize Theron appears as the sorceress Circe, and Jon Bernthal plays Menelaus.
Why did Christopher Nolan want to tell this story?
Speaking to Empire Magazine, Nolan explained why The Odyssey felt like unexplored territory for modern cinema.
“As a filmmaker, you’re looking for gaps in cinematic culture, things that haven’t been done before,” he said.
“And what I saw is that all of this great mythological cinematic work that I had grown up with, Ray Harryhausen movies and other things, I’d never seen that done with the sort of weight and credibility that an A-budget and a big Hollywood, IMAX production could do.”
When will The Odyssey premiere?
The online trailer follows a six-minute preview that screened exclusively in cinemas on 12 December. An earlier teaser debuted in July but was quickly leaked.
The director has also revealed he used a staggering 2 million feet of IMAX film during production- because of course he did.
The Odyssey sails into cinemas on 16 July 2026 in Australia, and 17 July 2026 in the UK and US.
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