I’ll have more on Empire Magazine’s latest issue, which hit newsstands today, but for now, here’s our first look at two key characters in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” (via X).
First, Robert Pattinson will portray Antinous — one of the many men pursuing Penelope (Anne Hathaway), the wife of Odysseus. This marks Pattinson’s second collaboration with Nolan; he previously co-starred in “Tenet.” John Leguizamo, in heavy makeup, plays Eumaeus, the loyal swineherd who helps Odysseus upon his return to Ithaca. Then we have Zendaya, who will play Athena, the goddess of wisdom and Odysseus’ divine protector, guiding him through the perils of his long journey home. This is set to be Zendaya’s first Nolan film.
Here is the cast, along with the roles we currently know they’re playing—
Matt Damon — Odysseus
Tom Holland — Telemachus
Anne Hathaway — Penelope
Robert Pattinson — Antinous
Zendaya — Athena
John Leguizamo — Eumaeus
Mia Goth — Melantho
Himesh Patel — Shipmate
Jon Bernthal — Eurylochus
Samantha Morton — Anticleia
Lupita Nyong'o — Clytemnestra
Charlize Theron — Circe
Benny Safdie — Agamemnon
Elliot Page —?
Bill Irwin —?
Corey Hawkins —?
As for that ‘Odyssey’ trailer rumored to be attached to showings of “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” word is that it might be a six-minute prologue. Nothing’s confirmed yet, but it wouldn’t be the first time Nolan has done this — 5–6 minute prologues were also screened in past Decembers for “The Dark Knight,” “The Dark Knight Rises,” “Dunkirk,” and “Tenet.”
In the Empire story, the writer admits having been shown five minutes of “The Odyssey”—which could be the same footage audiences will see in December. Here’s his description of what he saw inside Nolan’s screening room:
It begins with a question: "You hear the story of the horse?" Cue a thundering action set-piece, flashing us back to the walls of Troy. The visuals are visceral, the audio an adrenaline-rush.
Odysseus' hulking ruse is dragged via ropes and straining sinews up a beach towards the city. Then, at night-time, his desperate battle to open the gates of Troy and finally end that damn war. It's extraordinary stuff, a mini rollercoaster ride, briskly knocking out one of history's most iconic military triumphs as an hors d'oeuvre before the entrée. And a mission statement: if you thought Christopher Nolan's films were colossal before, just you wait.
Finally, setting it well and truly apart from Troy, the footage ends with a quick single shot of a fearsome Cyclops.
The budget on “The Odyssey” is reportedly $250M. The film used brand-new, state-of-the-art IMAX cameras, with cinematography by Nolan’s go-to DP, Hoyte Van Hoytema. Tickets for the 70mm IMAX showings actually went on sale this summer and sold out most of their showings (25,000+ tickets over 22 locations).
“The Odyssey” is set to hit theaters on July 17, 2026 via Universal Picture.
