The first trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is here, and it’s already sparking huge interest ahead of its July 2026 release. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, King of Ithaca, leading his soldiers home after the Trojan War — a journey that, judging by this first look, leans heavily into the danger and scale of the open sea.
Early hype is being fueled by IMAX demand too, with reports claiming massive ticket interest at major U.S. cinema chains. Nolan’s last film, Oppenheimer, became a true big-screen event, and The Odyssey looks positioned for a similar “must-see in theaters” run.
In the trailer, there’s far more ocean than dialogue — and that feels intentional. We see Odysseus battered by storms, shipwrecks, and relentless waves, with a tone that suggests survival is the story’s first challenge. The teaser offers only a brief hint of something monstrous, but the source epic is famous for Odysseus facing Polyphemus the Cyclops, the Sirens, Calypso, and Circe along the way.
We also get quick glimpses of Tom Holland as Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, and Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. “Promise me you will come back,” Penelope says. “What if I can’t?” Odysseus replies — a line that lands like a warning that this won’t be a simple hero’s victory lap, but a fight to endure long enough to return.
Although several key cast members aren’t clearly shown in the trailer, the ensemble list is stacked: Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, and John Leguizamo are also part of the film. Even with limited footage, the teaser’s scale and mood suggest Nolan is building a full mythic world around Odysseus’ journey.
Universal has said the film was shot using new IMAX technology, and the trailer’s visuals lean into that promise — wide horizons, towering seas, and survival imagery that feels designed for the biggest screen possible. The movie is currently set for a theatrical release on July 17, 2026.
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