Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' trailer: Matt Damon brings Odysseus to life

Christopher Nolan is tapping into Greek mythology for his next summer blockbuster, The Odyssey.

On Monday, December 22, Universal Pictures dropped the first trailer for The Odyssey, offering the first proper look at Nolan’s epic take on Homer’s ancient Greek poem. It stars Matt Damon as Odysseus as he attempts to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War.

Described simply as “a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology,” The Odyssey marks Nolan’s first project since Oppenheimer swept awards season in 2023. The trailer flashes through key moments from Odysseus’ life, including scenes from the Trojan War, the iconic Trojan Horse, and the hero’s long, perilous journey back home.

“After years of war, no one could stand between my men and home – not even me,” Odysseus narrates.

The trailer also showed Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland as Odysseus’ wife and son, Penelope and Telemachus. Though not appearing in the trailer, Holland’s fiancé Zendaya plays Athena, who tells Telemachus to seek news of his father.

“I have to find out what happened to my father. When did you last see him?” Telemachus asks in a previous theatre-only preview.

“Some say he’s rich. Some say he’s poor. Some say he perished. Some say he’s imprisoned,” Jon Bernthal’s character replies. “What say you?”

“Imprisoned?” Telemachus asks.

“What kinda prison can hold a man like that?” Bernthal responds.

Nolan’s ensemble cast also includes Lupita Nyong’o, Elliot Page, Mia Goth, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, and more. The film was shot across multiple locations, including Italy and Scotland.

The Odyssey sails into theaters on July 17, 2026.