Christopher Nolan’s next film will be The Odyssey, an adaptation of Homer’s Ancient Greek epic poem, and will release through Universal on July 17, 2026.
Universal confirmed the project today (Monday, December 23) via its X [formerly Twitter] account. The film will be shot ‘across the world using brand new IMAX film technology’, according to the studio.
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.
— Universal Pictures (@UniversalPics) December 23, 2024
Set in the 8th century BC, The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his dangerous journey home after the Trojan War.
The film will have a stacked cast of A-list stars, with Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron already attached.
Described by Universal as ‘Homer’s foundational saga’, the 12,109-line poem takes in themes such as free will, heroism, loyalty, intelligence, and the struggle against divinity.
The Odyssey’s release date on the third weekend of July mirrors that of previous Nolan-directed tentpoles, including Oppenheimer (July 21, 2023), Dunkirk, (July 21, 2017) and The Dark Knight Rises (July 20, 2012).
Previous screen adaptations of Homer’s poem include Mario Camerini’s 1954 adventure Ulysses starring Kirk Douglas; Andrei Konchalovsky’s 1997 TV miniseries; and loose adaptations including the Coen brothers’ 2000 comedy-drama O Brother, Where Art Thou?.
Nolan comes to the film on the back of a major global hit with Oppenheimer, which made $974m worldwide, including $330m in North America and $644m internationally.
The film swept the board in the 2024 awards season, winning seven awards at both the Oscars and Baftas, including best picture, director for Nolan and actor for Cillian Murphy at both ceremonies.
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