A Christopher Nolan movie is always an event, and The Odyssey could be his biggest project yet. And that’s saying something from a director who crashed a real Boeing 747 for a stunt in Tenet. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, and follows his long, brutal journey home after the Trojan War, as he battles gods, monsters, and fate itself in a desperate attempt to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son, Telemachus (Tom Holland). We’re just a few months out from getting to witness The Odyssey (ideally on the biggest screen possible), and Nolan took the stage at CinemaCon to share some footage from the movie.
Nolan said the story of The Odyssey has captivated people for 3000 years, and that it’s not A story, it’s THE story. It also finally allowed him to film an entire movie in IMAX, which has been his greatest ambition. The movie was shot all over the world, and was a nightmare to shoot, but in a good way.
He added that there will be three versions of the movie released: one is IMAX 1:43:1, another is 1:85:1 (presumably for IMAX screens that don’t have the 1:43:1 ratio), and a 2:40:1 scope version, depending on the screen.
And then he showed off some footage from the movie, which showed part of the Trojan Horse sequence. Crowds of people work to move the giant wooden horse onto the land, and we see Odysseus and his soldiers hiding inside and fighting for their lives so they don’t drown After being pulled into the city, they wait until night to launch their attack and invade Troy, all with Ludwig Göransson’s score building and building. Looks like an incredible movie.
In addition to Damon, Holland, and Hathaway, The Odyssey stars Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth, Zendaya, Elliot Page, John Leguizamo, Samantha Morton, Ryan Hurst, Logan Marshall-Green, Lupita Nyong’o, Josh Stewart, Benny Safdie, Corey Hawkins, and Elyes Gabel.
The Odyssey is based on an ancient Greek poem by Homer that tells the tale of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his journey home after the ten-year Trojan War. The trip was perilous, including encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe. At home, Odysseus is presumed dead, and his wife Penelope and son Telemachus must contend with groups of unruly suitors who each want Penelope’s hand in marriage to control the kingdom.
The film is set to be released in theaters on July 17.