Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is one of the most talked-about films of 2026. The movie brings Homer’s ancient Greek epic to the big screen with a star-studded cast. Ahead of its July 17 release, the cast appeared on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon for a special four-night takeover. The highlight of the week was a one-minute musical recap where the cast rapped the entire story of The Odyssey.
The film has already received strong reviews from critics. Many have called it a “colossal piece of cinema” and a “masterpiece in every way”. With a runtime of nearly three hours, the movie follows King Odysseus on his long journey home after the Trojan War.
The Cast and Their Roles in The Odyssey
Matt Damon leads the cast as Odysseus, the King of Ithaca. Damon previously worked with Nolan on Oppenheimer and Interstellar. His character spends 20 years trying to return to his wife and son after fighting in the Trojan War.
Tom Holland plays Telemachus, Odysseus’ son. Holland delayed the start of Spider-Man: Brand New Day to film The Odyssey. Critics have praised his performance, noting a “newfound maturity” that makes it his strongest role to date.
Anne Hathaway takes on the role of Penelope, Odysseus’ faithful wife. She waits for her husband’s return while dealing with suitors who have taken over her palace. Hathaway shared that she had to stand up and walk around when Nolan first told her about the project because she was so moved.
Robert Pattinson plays Antinous, the main suitor trying to win Penelope over. Pattinson previously worked with Nolan on Tenet.
Zendaya appears as Athena, the Greek goddess who protects Odysseus on his journey. She is also Holland’s real-life partner.
Lupita Nyong’o has a dual role as Helen of Troy and her sister Clytemnestra.
Charlize Theron plays the nymph Calypso.
Samantha Morton plays Circe, the witch who wants Odysseus to stay with her forever.
Benny Safdie appears as Agamemnon, the Greek King of Mycenae.
The cast also includes Jesse Garcia, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Nick E. Tarabay, Maurice Compte, Michael Vlamis, Iddo Goldberg, Josh Stewart, Ryan Hurst, Anthony Molinari, Jovan Adepo, Sean Avery, Ian Casselberry, John Leguizamo, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, and rapper Travis Scott as the bard Demodocus.
The One-Minute Musical Recap on The Tonight Show
NBC dedicated four nights of The Tonight Show to The Odyssey. Tom Holland appeared on Monday, Matt Damon on Tuesday, Zendaya on Wednesday, and Lupita Nyong’o on Thursday. The week included fun segments like Cyclops Beer Pong between Holland and Fallon.
The main attraction was a pre-taped musical number. The segment featured Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, and Lupita Nyong’o. They raced through the epic poem’s biggest moments in exactly one minute.
Fallon introduced the segment by saying the show had teamed up with the cast to recap the whole story in one minute. The result was a fast-moving, rap-style number. It opened with a roll call of characters before jumping into the plot.
The rap included references to the Trojan Horse trick, with the cast rapping about hiding inside the horse to win the war. It also covered the hero’s journey home to Ithaca and his encounter with the Cyclops. The segment even included a nod to the poem’s original structure, with a line joking that the cast could be Homer given how quickly they were getting through the story.
The bit balanced comedy with genuine affection for the source material. It gave fans a condensed but thorough primer on Odysseus’ decade-long journey before the film’s nearly three-hour runtime.
This stunt follows a tradition of Fallon-built cast songs tied to major movie releases. Similar segments have been done for Wicked, Mission Impossible The Final Reckoning, The Super Mario Bros Movie, and Avengers: Infinity War.
What The Odyssey Movie Is About
The Odyssey follows King Odysseus after the Trojan War. He spends ten years trying to return home to Ithaca. During his journey, he faces many dangers including:
- The Cyclops Polyphemus
- The Sirens
- The witch Circe
- The nymph Calypso
- Giant Laestrygonians
The film also shows what happens back in Ithaca. Penelope waits for Odysseus while dealing with suitors. Her son Telemachus searches for his father. The cruel Antinous has his eyes on the queen while her husband is still away.
Nolan’s adaptation uses a flashback structure. The story moves back and forth in time as it tells of Odysseus’ nearly decade-long journey. The film pointedly echoes anxieties about the world today as Odysseus talks about a civilisation in ruins that must repair itself.
The movie was shot entirely with IMAX cameras. It cost $250 million to produce. Universal Pictures is distributing the film. Nolan’s longtime creative partner Emma Thomas produced the movie.
Critical Response to The Odyssey
The Odyssey has received mostly positive reviews from critics. Here is what some major publications have said:
Variety wrote: “A genuinely grand, gutsy vision, The Odyssey thrills generously for the bulk of its near three-hour running time”.
The Times described it as “a masterpiece in every way”.
The Standard praised the film as a “colossal piece of cinema”.
Empire awarded the film five stars, writing: “The Odyssey is the definition of epic”.
The Guardian said the film is marked by “thrilling ambition, boldness, seriousness, generosity and flair”.
BBC noted: “Even with its flaws, The Odyssey is so rich, so full of magic and humanity, that I’m eager to see this epic again”.
The New York Times called it “a smart, thoughtful film with Old Hollywood allure”.
Screen Rant described the film as “gripping, fascinating, sometimes horrifying, and, just when it needs to be, quite moving”.
However, not all reviews were glowing. The Economist called The Odyssey a “very silly adaptation” of Homer’s epic. Some critics also noted difficulty hearing the dialogue in places, a frequent complaint with Nolan films.
Release Date and Where to Watch
The Odyssey releases in theaters worldwide on July 17, 2026. The film will be available in IMAX and standard formats. Universal Pictures is handling the distribution.
The India premiere took place on July 10 and 11 in Mumbai. Nolan, Damon, and Holland attended the event. Indian viewers can book tickets through BookMyShow and District by Zomato.
The film marks Nolan’s first feature since Oppenheimer, which won seven Academy Awards including Best Picture.
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Behind the Scenes Stories
The cast shared memories from filming during their appearance on The Tonight Show and in an exclusive interview with PEOPLE. The cast and crew hiked daily to an Italian castle for filming. Holland led the way on these morning hikes.
Damon shared that he did not see the call from Nolan coming. Nolan’s producing partner and wife, Emma Thomas, texted Damon to ask if he was available for a call. Damon thought they were just catching up.
Holland had to push back the start date of Spider-Man: Brand New Day to film The Odyssey. When he told Zendaya about the offer, she asked who offered it to him.
Hathaway shared her love for Greek mythology, saying she watched shows about it for fun even before this project.
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