Universal Pictures has released the first official trailer for Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey," offering the clearest look yet at the director's ambitious take on Homer's classic poem ahead of its 2026 theatrical debut.

The new trailer centers on Matt Damon's Odysseus, showing him at the end of the Trojan War and on the dangerous sea voyage back to Ithaca. Viewers see glimpses of large-scale battle scenes, storm-tossed ships, and a looming Trojan Horse, confirming Nolan's focus on both spectacle and the emotional cost of war.

The footage also teases encounters with mysterious creatures and cavernous, shadowy locations, hinting at a blend of grounded historical detail and mythic horror, according to The Guardian. Nolan's signature use of practical effects and large-format cinematography is evident in the sweeping IMAX shots of oceans, cliffs and sprawling ancient cities, with the film reportedly shot entirely on 70mm IMAX cameras.

Damon leads an ensemble that includes Anne Hathaway as Penelope and Tom Holland as Telemachus, Odysseus' son, who sets out to learn what happened to his missing father. The cast also features Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Elliot Page, and others in key roles drawn from the poem's gods, allies, and enemies.

Brief shots in the trailer show Hathaway's Penelope waiting in Ithaca as rival suitors circle, while Holland's Telemachus appears in tense exchanges on stormy shores and in firelit halls, Variety reported. Pattinson's voice is heard in earlier footage as a narrator describing a broken kingdom and a missing leader, suggesting a central role in framing Odysseus' legend and the political stakes at home.

"The Odyssey" is Nolan's first feature since the Oscar-winning Oppenheimer and continues his partnership with Universal Pictures. With an estimated budget of around $250 million and a shoot that spanned locations such as Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, and Iceland, it is described as one of the most technically ambitious and expensive projects of his career.

The trailer's online debut follows a longer six-minute prologue that screened exclusively in select IMAX 70mm theaters earlier this month, showcasing extended war sequences and early glimpses of the Cyclops Polyphemus. "The Odyssey" is scheduled to open in theaters on 17 July 2026, with Universal planning a major IMAX rollout that positions the film as one of next summer's biggest event releases, as per IMDB.

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Christopher nolan, Matt Damon