Christopher Nolan reveals why The Odyssey had to be shorter than Oppenheimer: Massive pressure

Who plays who in Christopher Nolans IMAX epic The Odyssey?

From Matt Damon to Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland: Who plays who in The Odyssey.Based on Homer’s Greek epic, Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited The Odyssey arrives in theatres this Friday. Marking a historic milestone in filmmaking, it is the first feature film to be shot entirely using IMAX cameras. The film follows Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, as he embarks on an arduous journey home after the Trojan War, an odyssey that has, over centuries, come to represent exile, endurance and the enduring human desire to return home. Backed by an ensemble cast featuring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, Himesh Patel and others, The Odyssey has already generated overwhelmingly positive first reactions from early screenings in India and overseas. Following the blockbuster success of Oppenheimer, Nolan’s latest is expected to open to a massive box office response. Ahead of its release, here’s a look at the key characters and the actors bringing them to life. Matt Damon as King Odysseus

A still from The OdysseyThe ruler of Ithaca and the strategist credited with devising the legendary Trojan Horse, Odysseus is the central figure of the story. After the fall of Troy, he sets out on a perilous voyage to reunite with his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus, whom he left behind as an infant. His journey is marked by relentless trials, forcing him to confront both mythical creatures and divine interventions as he struggles to find his way home. Anne Hathaway as Penelope

Anne Hathaway as Penelope in The OdysseyThe Queen of Ithaca, Penelope has spent two decades waiting for Odysseus’ return. In his absence, more than a hundred suitors occupy the palace, consuming the kingdom’s wealth while competing for her hand in marriage. Refusing to give up hope, she clings to the promise Odysseus made before leaving for war, believing that one day he will return. Tom Holland as Telemachus

Who plays who in Christopher Nolans IMAX epic The Odyssey?

The Odyssey: Tickets at Rs 3100, IMAX venues full; Nolan to attend Mumbai premiere

3 min readNew DelhiJul 10, 2026 01:27 PM IST

Christopher Nolan to attend Mumbai premeire of The Odyssey. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is all set to release worldwide on July 17. But, before the world gets to see Nolan’s latest film, based on the Greek mythological epic of the same name, the filmmaker is all set to visit India to meet his fans. He will be accompanied by his longtime producing partner and wife Emma Thomas, and actors Matt Damon and Tom Holland. Christopher Nolan in Mumbai on July 10, 11 In India, The Odyssey will have a premiere over two days – July 10 and July 11, in Mumbai. On Friday, July 10, a screening of the film will be held for a select section of the media, and on Saturday, July 11, a special screening will be held for Indian celebrities. Nolan will also be taking questions from the Indian media in Mumbai on Saturday before the screening.ALSO READ | What is The Odyssey? Christopher Nolan’s epic is a 10-year-long Main Vaapas Aaunga Nolan’s films have had a huge craze in India for many years now, and have historically been strong performers at the box office. Such is the anticipation of a Nolan film that none of the major Indian productions are clashing with The Odyssey. While a select few will get a chance to watch the film over the next couple of days, the fans will get to watch the film only from Friday, July 17. Tickets as expensive as Rs 3,100 In Delhi, the shows are set to begin at 6:30 am, and the ticket prices for the film are sky-high. The most expensive ticket being sold in the Delhi-NCR region costs Rs 2,500 at an IMAX theatre. In the Mumbai region, the most expensive ticket is priced at Rs 3,100. In Bengaluru, the highest-priced ticket costs Rs 1,850, but in Chennai, fans can have a gala time watching The Odyssey at an IMAX theatre for just Rs 508, which is also the highest-priced ticket thus far.

A still from The Odyssey.In 2023, Christopher Nolan’s Oppenheimer released alongside Greta Gerwig’s Barbie, and fans across the world watched them like a double feature. While Barbie earned more money worldwide, India had a different story to tell, as here, Oppenheimer was the bigger earner. In India, Oppenheimer made over Rs 150 crore, as opposed to Barbie, which made around Rs 55 crore. Nolan’s third official visit to India This visit in 2026 is Nolan’s third official visit to India. The director was here in 2019 while he was still making Tenet. At the time, he visited India with Robert Pattinson, who also stars in The Odyssey, and John David Washington. They shot for 10 days in India for some key sequences. Before the 2019 visit, Nolan had visited India in 2011 to shoot some key sequences for The Dark Knight Rises at Mehrangarh Fort in Jodhpur.Story continues below this ad About The Odyssey The Odyssey, along with Matt Damon and Tom Holland, also stars Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Charlize Theron and Robert Pattinson in important roles. The film follows Damon’s Odysseus, who, after winning the Trojan War, is trying to come back to his wife and son in his home country, Ithaca. The troubled journey takes almost ten years, while his wife is trying to hold the fort and he is struggling to come back alive.

Christopher Nolans The Odyssey trailer: Robert Pattinson eyes Matt Damons throne, woos Anne Hathaway

3 min readMumbaiMay 5, 2026 11:29 AM IST

The Odyssey trailer: Robert Pattinson plays the chief antagonist.The Odyssey trailer: Christopher Nolan unveiled a new trailer of his upcoming adventure epic, The Odyssey, on the latest episode of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The new footage, more detailed and verbose than the first one unveiled last December, also gives more weightage to supporting characters like Robert Pattinson’s chief antagonist Antinous and Charlize Theron’s Calypso, besides the primary leads — Matt Damon as king Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope, and Tom Holland as their son Telemachus. What’s in the new trailer? The trailer begins with Calypso asking Odysseus, who’s stranded far away from home, what he remembers. Besides his family, the king recalls winning a war. Odysseus has the inkling that his family is in trouble back home, with his throne lying empty, so he takes on a long, arduous journey to get back. “You’re a man who needs to control his fate,” Calypso gives him a pep talk, yet laced with caution, “But you cannot control this.” “No one can stand between me and home. Not even the Gods,” he says, as he embarks on a voyage across land and water. But the last shot suggests he may have spoken too soon. Meanwhile, back home, a number of contenders are eyeing Odysseus’ throne and his wife’s hand in marriage. They’re led by Antinous, who tells Penelope, “This is a household waiting for a master. I want you to choose me.” But she gives it back by saying, “Ithaca’s king is coming back.” “No, he’s not,” responds Antinous, rather confidently. He doesn’t spare the son either as he tells Telemachus, “You’re pining for a daddy you didn’t even know, like some sniveling bastard.” But an assured son shoots back, “My dad is coming home.” But by the end of the trailer, Odysseus’ family begins breaking down, with Penelope admitting, “That world is gone.” Also Read — From Salman Khan’s heroine at 16 to running a tiffin service for a few hundred rupees: Pooja Dadwal’s story of survival An adaptation of ancient Greek poet Homer’s epic book series of the same name, The Odyssey also stars Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Will Yun Lee, Mia Goth, Jimmy Gonzales, and Elliot Page among others. The first feature to be fully filmed on IMAX cameras, it’s slated to release in cinemas on July 17.

Christopher Nolan reveals why The Odyssey had to be shorter than Oppenheimer: Massive pressure

3 min readMumbaiApr 30, 2026 11:28 AM IST

The Odyssey arrives in theaters July 17.This summer, all eyes will be on Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated The Odyssey, an epic fantasy actioner that sees the director taking on Homer’s ancient Greek classic in his signature style. Recently, Nolan unveiled new footage from the film at CinemaCon, which reportedly received a standing ovation. The reaction has only heightened anticipation among fans eager to see what he has crafted with this adaptation. However, Nolan has also acknowledged the significant pressure surrounding the project, given its imminent release. ‘Massive amount of pressure’ Speaking to the Associated Press, he said, “There’s a massive amount of pressure, Anyone taking on The Odyssey is taking on the hopes and dreams of people for epic movies everywhere and that comes with a huge responsibility.” Reflecting on his earlier work, particularly his acclaimed Batman trilogy, he added, “What I learned from that experience is that what people want from a movie about a beloved story, a beloved set of characters, is they want a strong and sincere interpretation. They want to know that a filmmaker has gone to the mat for it. I really tried to make the best film possible”Shorter than Oppenheimer Interestingly, Nolan’s continued commitment to shooting on celluloid has shaped the production in a notable way. The Odyssey becomes the first Hollywood feature to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras. However, this technical ambition also influenced the film’s runtime. Due to IMAX projection limitations, the film had to be shorter than his Oscar-winning biographical drama Oppenheimer. As he explained, “It’s an epic film, as the subject matter demands, But it is shorter.” Also Read | The Big Bang Theory spin-off Stuart Fails to Save the Universe to release in July 2026 The film features an ensemble cast including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, and others. Nolan himself joked about the scale of talent involved during CinemaCon, saying, “It’ll be quicker for me to tell you who isn’t in the movie… I would have brought them all here, but the massive weight of extraordinary talent would have collapsed the stage.” The Odyssey is Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem of the same name, which follows Odysseus’ perilous ten-year journey home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. The official trailer was released in December last year. The film is scheduled for a theatrical release on July 17.

Christopher Nolan reveals why The Odyssey had to be shorter than Oppenheimer: Massive pressure

Who plays who in Christopher Nolans IMAX epic The Odyssey?

Who plays who in Christopher Nolans IMAX epic The Odyssey?

Discussion (0)

The Odyssey: Tickets at Rs 3100, IMAX venues full; Nolan to attend Mumbai premiere

Christopher Nolans The Odyssey trailer: Robert Pattinson eyes Matt Damons throne, woos Anne Hathaway