Christopher Nolan is one of the most successful filmmakers in Hollywood; his commitment to complex storytelling and use of practical effects guarantee anything he touches becomes a blockbuster hit, with stars like Leonardo DiCaprio and Cillian Murphy eager to join. That’s especially true after his latest film, “Oppenheimer,” swept the Academy Awards earlier this year and became the fourth-highest-grossing Imax movie of all time, earning $183.2 million. Aside from this megahit historical drama, Nolan has also directed everything from sci-fi epics (“Interstellar”) to mysteries (“Memento”) to a trilogy of Batman films. It’s no surprise that people have gone wild at the news that a new Nolan movie is on the way. Nolan's next film is titled "The Odyssey," and is an adaptation of the epic poem by Homer. Here’s everything we know about the upcoming feature—including the A-listers joining the project.
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On Dec. 23, Universal Pictures announced the title of Nolan's next film, "The Odyssey." They shared the news on X, writing, "Christopher Nolan’s next film, ‘The Odyssey,’ is 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 17, 2026."
While casting news is still arriving fast and furious (more on that below), we already know the plot outlines of the original story. An epic poem attributed to Ancient Greek poet Homer, "The Odyssey" follows the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, as he struggles to get home after the Trojan War (which was detailed in Homer's "Iliad"). Along the way, the hero encounters mythical characters such as the nymph Calypso, the witch-goddess Circe, and the cyclops Polyphemus.
In February, Universal revealed that Matt Damon would lead the film as Odysseus.
Matt Damon is Odysseus. A film by Christopher Nolan, #TheOdysseyMovie is in theaters July 17, 2026. pic.twitter.com/7a5YbfqVfG
— odysseymovie (@odysseymovie) February 17, 2025
"The Odyssey" is being housed and distributed by Universal Pictures, the same studio for 2023’s “Oppenheimer.” While we don’t know the whole team behind the project, we do know it includes Nolan, who is writing and directing the film, and his wife and producing partner, Emma Thomas, who’s making the film under their Syncopy banner.
According to Variety, part of filming will take place in Sicily on the island of Favignana, known as “goat island.” The outlet states that this location is meaningful as it’s said to be the same place where "Homer envisioned Odysseus landed."
According to Variety, Mia Goth is the latest to join the cast, which already includes Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, Himesh Patel, and Samantha Morton.
It’s a good mix of performers Nolan has worked with before, including Damon, who costarred in “Oppenheimer” and “Interstellar”; Hathaway, who had notable roles in “The Dark Knight Rises” and “Interstellar”; and Pattinson, who had a lead role in “Tenet.” The cast list also includes new faces for the director’s films, such as Holland, Zendaya, Nyong’o, and Theron.
“I have so many feelings about [getting cast] that I don’t even know how to articulate. It fills me with so much joy, and I don’t know how to talk about it,” Hathaway told Women's Wear Daily. “I love Chris and Emma Nolan so much, and to be invited into their world is, I mean, I know from experience it’s one of the best places you can find yourself. Getting to be invited twice really felt like something, three felt like it would’ve been greedy, so I never let myself hope that that would happen, and that it has makes me emotional, to be perfectly honest. It makes me feel like I’m doing something right.”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Damon, Holland, Hathaway, and Pattinson are the movie’s leads, while Nyong’o, Zendaya, and possibly Theron have supporting roles.
It’s clear that Nolan is looking for his major players now, but casting for other minor roles is not currently happening. However, that could change at any moment, so be sure to check our main casting page for future opportunities. Also, remember that representation remains the best way to secure an audition for an in-demand project. If you haven’t signed with an agent yet, here’s how to find one.
While waiting for more development news about Nolan’s next movie, here are some similar projects in the news lately:
- Everything We Know About the New ‘American Psycho’ Adaptation
- Everything We Know About the ‘Friday the 13th’ Prequel Series ‘Crystal Lake’
- Everything We Know About the Next James Bond Film
- Everything We Know About the Netflix ‘Twilight’ Animated Series
- Everything We Know About the ‘Peaky Blinders’ Movie
- Everything We Know About Netflix’s ‘Chronicles of Narnia’ Adaptation
- Everything We Know About the ‘A Court of Thorns and Roses’ TV Series
"The Odyssey" will hit theaters on July 17, 2026, with a dedicated rollout in Imax theaters. This date is similar to the filmmaker’s other release dates, such as “Oppenheimer,” “Inception,” and his Batman movies. The movie should start filming sometime in the first six months of 2025.
Keep checking back here for more updates about the Nolan film!
