The Odyssey: Christopher Nolan leaves fans astounded six-minute prologue

Christopher Nolan has done it again. The cinematic genius sent fans into a frenzy with a nearly six-minute prologue of his highly anticipated film The Odyssey. 

On Saturday, December 12, movie lovers were treated to an exclusive first look at The Odyssey, ahead of the re-releases of Sinners and One Battle After Another, both making their way back to the big screen in the prestigious IMAX format.

Film critics and media outlets eagerly awaits a glimpse of the prologue, later describing it as nothing short of spectacular.

As the prologue rolled out social media exploded with reactions. One verified Twitter account, Dan Marcus, who is a writer, columnist, and filmmaker, couldn’t hold back his excitement. 

“The best way to describe the prologue for The Odyssey is Lawrence of Arabia meets Dunkirk," he tweeted. “This is the closest in tone to Dunkirk out of Nolan’s films. Honestly, it’s some of the most suspenseful six minutes I’ve seen all year.”

“The prologue for The Odyssey promises the biggest scale and spectacle Christopher Nolan has ever attempted," Marcus wrote in a different post few hours ago. "From pulse-pounding tension to Ludwig Göransson’s insane score, there’s no doubt The Odyssey will be the cinematic event of 2026. I was gobsmacked.” 

His glowing review was accompanied by a collage of images preiously unveiled as the first-look.

The Odyssey prologue: Christopher Nolan uses CGI?

With so much buzz surrounding the prologue, questions began to surface about Nolan’s use of CGI in the film. Nolan is known for his preference for practical effects, using real locations and stunts whenever possible.

When a fan asked Marcus if there was any CGI in the prologue, he replied, “Hard to tell. But none that I could detect.” Another fan chimed in, saying, “Absolutely no CGI by the looks of it, at least for now. Except maybe the monster in the shadow we see, which is mostly a practical effect, as was reported. Very raw in its aesthetic.”

Nolan's new epic, which stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and others, is set to be the first-ever film shot entirely with IMAX cameras, making this prologue debut even more historic. Nolan, known for his preference for IMAX and practical effects, is bringing his signature style to this ambitious project in a big way.