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It looks like Christopher Nolan is finally taking us on the ultimate road trip—or rather, a ten-year sea voyage. The first official trailer for his adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey has dropped, and it’s every bit as massive as you’d expect from the man who loves practical effects and Imax film.
Here is the breakdown of what we just saw and what we know so far.
Matt Damon Takes the Helm
The trailer leans heavily on its leading man. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, and we get several shots of a grizzled, bearded version of the hero as he departs the ruins of Troy.
In true Nolan fashion, the trailer is punctuated by a gravelly, atmospheric voiceover from Damon:“After years of war … no one could stand between my men … and home … not even me.” It sets a high-stakes, almost psychological tone for the journey ahead.
A Powerhouse Supporting Cast
While the focus is on the long voyage home, the trailer gives us our first real look at the family waiting in Ithaca:
- Anne Hathaway appears as Penelope, Odysseus’s steadfast wife.
- Tom Holland co-stars as their son, Telemachus.
The footage flashes between Odysseus battling CGI-defying practical storms and the domestic tension building back on the shores of Greece.
2 Million Feet of Film
If you’re wondering why the visuals look so crisp, Nolan recently revealed that he used a staggering 2 million feet of Imax film during production. This trailer follows a six-minute preview that hit cinemas on December 12, but this is the first time the general public is getting a polished, official look at the scale of the world Nolan has built.
When Can We Watch It?
Mark your calendars for next summer. The Odyssey is scheduled to hit theaters on:
- Australia: 16 July 2026
- US & UK: 17 July 2026