Christopher Nolan, the mastermind behind Oppenheimer and Inception, will bring Homer’s The Odyssey to the big screen, with Universal announcing a release date of July 17, 2026.
“Christopher Nolan’s next film, The Odyssey, is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology,” the studio announced in a message on X, adding that “the film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time.”
Homer wrote the ancient Greek epic around the 8th century BCE and the story revolves around the dangerous journey of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who was attempting to return home after the Trojan War. The epic has several mentions of encounters with the Cyclops, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe. It dwells around the themes of heroism, loyalty and the struggles of human will against divine forces.
Ralph Fiennes and Juliette Binoche recently brought the story to life in Uberto Pasolini’s The Return, which was released earlier this month. Beyond films, Homer’s masterpiece has always influenced works in literature as well. Some outstanding ones are James Joyce’s Ulysses and Margaret Atwood’s The Penelopiad.
There are instances in pop culture, too, including the Coen Brothers’ O Brother, Where Art Thou? and Star Trek: Odyssey.
This marks Nolan’s second collaboration with Universal after the Oscar winning blockbuster Oppenheimer.
Mark your calendars: The July 2026 release date aligns with Nolan’s usual blockbuster timing.
Take on this journey, Nolan will mix ancient mythology with scintillatingly innovative filmmaking.
