Christopher Nolan’s next film is an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey

The speculation may finally end. Universal took to social media on Monday to give a gift to movie fans around the world: the first official description of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film. is called The Odyssey which, yes, is an adaptation of Homer’s poem.

“Christopher Nolan’s next film The Odyssey is a mythical action epic filmed around the world using new IMAX film technology. “The film brings the pivotal saga of Homer to IMAX screens for the first time and opens in theaters around the world on July 17, 2026,” the statement reads.

Written by Homer centuries before the birth of Christ, The Odyssey is the monitoring of The Iliad. It follows Odysseus, a Greek hero who travels home after the Trojan War. A sprawling adventure featuring mythical creatures, battles, and more, it’s a story that has been adapted across seemingly every medium and every era. But coming from Nolan, you can be sure that this will be the biggest, most faithful, and most massive adaptation yet. Plus, it’s a far cry from previous rumors about the film, such as it being about helicopter cops or what this website reported being a period piece about vampires. Hey, at least it’s a period film.

Matt Damon, Charlize Theron, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong’o star, although it’s unclear who will play whom. But let’s speculate a little. We’re thinking, and this is totally from my io9 colleague Sabina Graves, that it would make sense to see Matt Damon as Odysseus, Holland as his son Telemachus, Hathaway as Penelope, Theron as Athena, Pattinson as Poseidon (or the Cyclops). Nyong’o as Circe and Zendaya as Calypso. But again, pure speculation.

And what is the “new IMAX film technology” that the studio is promoting? It sounds exciting. But not as exciting as Nolan going for the biggest story of his entire career and maybe his second Oscar.

The Odysseydirected by Christopher Nolans, premieres on July 17, 2026.

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