The Odyssey Christopher Nolan preview has arrived, and this is already shaping up as one of the biggest cinema events of 2026.
Christopher Nolan’s next film takes one of the oldest and most influential adventure stories ever told and brings it to the screen as a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX® film technology.
Written and directed by Nolan, The Odyssey brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX® film screens for the first time when it opens in cinemas everywhere on July 16.
The film features a massive ensemble cast, including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong’o, with Zendaya and Charlize Theron also starring.
Homer’s The Odyssey follows Odysseus on his long and dangerous journey home after the Trojan War, a voyage filled with gods, monsters, temptation, loss, survival and the desperate pull of home. It is one of the great foundational stories of Western literature, and in Nolan’s hands, it now becomes a large-scale theatrical event built for the biggest screen possible.
Following the global success of Oppenheimer, Nolan’s move into ancient myth and large-scale adventure feels like a natural next step for a filmmaker who has repeatedly pushed theatrical presentation, practical scale and large-format filmmaking. Universal has positioned The Odyssey as a major cinema event, with the film shot using new IMAX® film technology across multiple international locations.
The Odyssey Christopher Nolan IMAX Event
One of the biggest points of interest around The Odyssey is its IMAX presentation. Nolan has long been one of the strongest advocates for large-format cinema, and this production is being described as the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX cameras.
That alone makes The Odyssey a major release for cinema fans. After the enormous theatrical impact of Oppenheimer, Nolan’s films have become event releases in their own right, and The Odyssey appears designed to be experienced on the largest screen available.
Recent coverage has also highlighted the sheer scale and physical nature of the production, with the film shot across multiple international locations and built around practical, large-format spectacle rather than simply treating IMAX as an add-on.
For audiences, the appeal is obvious: one of cinema’s biggest filmmakers, one of literature’s most enduring stories, a stacked cast, and a format designed to make every frame feel enormous.
The Odyssey Cast
Cast: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong’o, with Zendaya and Charlize Theron
Written and Directed by: Christopher Nolan
Produced by: Emma Thomas, Christopher Nolan
Executive Producer: Thomas Hayslip
The Odyssey is produced by Emma Thomas and Christopher Nolan for their company, Syncopy. The executive producer is Thomas Hayslip.
The Odyssey opens in cinemas everywhere on July 16.
Visit the official Universal Pictures page for The Odyssey for more details.
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Watch the trailer for The Odyssey below.
