Christopher Nolan has adapted Homer’s epic poem, The Odyssey, for his upcoming project with Universal Pictures. The film will bring Homer’s famous Greek epic to IMAX screens worldwide on July 17, 2026. It reportedly stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and many more.
Homer’s The Odyssey, divided into 24 books, is a cornerstone of Western literature. The epic describes the dangerous return journey of Odysseus, king of Ithaca, from the Trojan War. This epic poem develops ideas of heroism, loyalty, shrewdness, nostos (return), wandering, xenia (guest-friendliness), and the conflict between human will and divine design. Iconic moments of the story are when Odysseus meets the Cyclops, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe, before meeting his long-absent wife Penelope.
The Universal picture will be released across theaters on July 17, 2026.”
Nolan’s film will be the latest in a long-running series of The Odyssey adaptations. Other notable films include the 1954 Italian film Ulysses, starring Kirk Douglas, the 1997 miniseries Armand Assante, and the new The Return, starring Ralph Fiennes with Juliette Binoche. The poem has long inspired many other literary classics, such as James Joyce’s Ulysses and Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad.
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation will star Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron. Production is scheduled to begin early next year as Nolan’s second outing for Universal following the highly acclaimed Oppenheimer.
Also read: Oscar-winning director Christopher Nolan shares his thoughts on Ridley Scott’s Gladiator II; ‘Like the best long awaited sequel’
