Christopher Nolan’s next movie will be an adaptation of The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan has an early Christmas present for us: It’s been announced that his next movie will be an adaptation of The Odyssey. The director has been busy assembling an all-star cast for his new project, but details have frustratingly been kept under wraps… until now.

“Christopher Nolan’s next film ‘The Odyssey’ is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology,” reads the post from Universal Pictures. “The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.” Now that the new project has finally been revealed, some of the rumours, which ranged from a period vampire thriller to a helicopter action movie, seem downright ridiculous.

The Odyssey is an ancient Greek poem by Homer which tells the tale of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his journey home after the ten-year Trojan War. The trip was filled with peril, including encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe. At home, Odysseus is presumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must contend with groups of unruly suitors who each want Penelope’s hand in marriage to control the kingdom.

As I mentioned above, the film features an all-star cast which includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, and Zendaya. Could Damon be playing Odysseus? The Odyssey has the potential to be one of Nolan’s biggest productions, and I’m hugely excited by the possibilities. This is going to be one to watch.

We’ve seen several adaptations of The Odyssey over the years, including the 1954 movie Ulysses starring Kirk Douglas and the 1997 miniseries starring Armand Assante. The poem has inspired countless others, including O Brother, Where Art Thou?. The latest adaptation, The Return, hit theaters just a few weeks ago. It stars Ralph Fiennes as Odysseus and retells the last sections of Homer’s poem when the King washes up on the shores of Ithaca.

How do you feel about Christopher Nolan tackling The Odyssey?