christopher-nolan-says-the-odyssey-was-an-absolute-nightmare-to-film-in-the-right-ways christopher-nolan-says-the-odyssey-was-an-absolute-nightmare-to-film-in-the-right-ways

Christopher Nolan says The Odyssey was an absolute nightmare to film in the right ways

Christopher Nolan debuted the first glimpse of The Odyssey at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. The film is set to release in theatres on July 17.

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is one of the most awaited films of the year. The director gave theatre owners a thrilling glimpse of The Odyssey at CinemaCon in Las Vegas. The film is his follow-up to Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, and is the adaptation of Homer’s epic, which is the tale of Odysseus and his men’s journey back home. (Also read: Christopher Nolan faces backlash for filming The Odyssey in disputed Western Sahara: ‘Contributing to the repression…’)

Christopher Nolan speaks onstage at the Universal Pictures and Focus Features presentation at The Dolby Colosseum at Caesars Palace during CinemaCon, the official convention of Cinema United, on April 15, 2026 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Ethan Miller/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Ethan Miller / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP) (Getty Images via AFP)

What Nolan said

At the event, Christopher Nolan debuted footage from the film, which revolved around the famous Trojan horse attack, as per Variety. It was met with applause. The director then went on stage to talk about The Odyssey and said, “This has been an absolute nightmare to film — but in all the right ways. We had an amazing time. [Matt Damon] was there on the boats, up the mountains, in the caves, in the beating sunshine, sideways rain, wind. You’ll be pleased to know how difficult it was. It was meant to be; that’s the nature of this story.”

The Odyssey is the first motion picture to be shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film IMAX. The director said, “As a boy, all I wanted to do was tell large-scale [stories] using that technology, putting the audience into the world and I spent many, many years trying to bring that to fruition, starting with The Dark Knight, back when I was in my 30s. We shot the action sequences [in Imax], but we were never able to shoot the entire film. My crew did an incredible job figuring out how to do this for the first time.”

About The Odyssey

Based on Homer’s epic Odyssey, the Christopher Nolan film will chronicle the journey of Odysseus, the mythical king of Ithaca, and his perilous return home after the Trojan War. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, along with Tom Holland as his son Telemachus. The rest of the star-studded cast includes Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, and Elliot Page. The film is set to premiere on July 17, 2026

  • Santanu Das is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times with over 5 years of experience, writing on films, pop culture and film festivals. He has a keen interest in writing about South Asian independent films and has covered several film festivals, including Sundance and CPH: Docx. He also brings a sharp perspective to the monthly column called The Fault in Our Stars, where he writes about a recent film/series and what stops the ‘good’ from becoming ‘great’. A gold medalist from Banaras Hindu University, Santanu completed his postgraduate studies in English from Jadavpur University. He is also a Rotten Tomatoes-certified film critic. When not watching films or speaking to celebrities, Santanu can be found reading a book. Some of his favourite films are Aparajito, Ponyo and The Double Life of Veronique. His favourite books include The Corrections, The God of Small Things and A Room of One’s Own. Santanu continues to write passionately about films and celebrity culture. He brings a relatable, as well as critically informed, lens to entertainment and culture for a wide audience. Find him on LinkedIn: santanudasfilm Instagram: @santupechaRead More

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