The highly anticipated first official trailer for "The Odyssey" is now available and has ignited the enthusiasm of film fans. Christopher Nolan's new blockbuster, based on the epic poem attributed to Homer, is being touted as one of the biggest releases on the international box office scene, with particular anticipation in Europe and IMAX theaters.
The trailer, initially shown only in theaters and now beginning to appear online, makes it clear that Nolan wants to transform Odysseus's journey into a grand visual spectacle, but also into a character-driven drama brimming with emotional tension. Amidst images of ravaged battlefields, raging seas, and colossal mythological figures, the trailer paints the first brushstrokes of an epic that seeks to transcend mere historical recreation.
An epic preview focused on Odysseus's journey
The trailer opens in the immediate aftermath of the Trojan War : a devastated landscape where Odysseus (Matt Damon) appears kneeling before an imposing Agamemnon, played by Benny Safdie, clad in heavy, highly stylized armor. The scene, which has already generated discussion among critics and historians, sets the tone for the trailer: solemnity, a dense atmosphere, and a mise-en-scène that blends physical brutality with a certain mythical quality.
From there, the montage strings together classic adventure icons : the hero and his men traversing dark forests, ships tossed about by real waves, raids into caves that conceal threats, and the silhouette of the legendary Trojan Horse being dragged from the shore by dozens of soldiers. Meanwhile, Damon's voiceover underscores the protagonist's internal conflict: “After years of war, no one could stand between my men and home. Not even me,” a line that frames the tension between duty, leadership, and the longing to return to Ithaca.
In several fleeting shots, the presence of fantastical creatures like the cyclops Polyphemus is hinted at ; he appears as a gigantic figure at the entrance to a cave, confirming that Nolan does not shy away from the mythological elements of the story. The combination of a realistic visual approach with these touches of fantasy has sparked curiosity among European viewers, accustomed to more restrained or more overtly fantastical, but less hybrid, adaptations.
Filmed entirely in IMAX and with unprecedented technical ambition
One of the most talked-about aspects of the trailer is the use of the format. “The Odyssey” is presented as the first film shot entirely with 70mm IMAX cameras, a goal Nolan had pursued since he began incorporating this system into specific sequences of films like “The Dark Knight.” To make this possible, IMAX has developed a new generation of cameras that are 30% quieter and significantly lighter, designed to handle both intimate scenes and large-scale action sequences.
Principal photography lasted 91 days , with locations spread across Morocco (including Aït Benhaddou to recreate Troy), Greece, Italy, Scotland, and Iceland. A substantial portion of the project was filmed at sea, with the crew and cast shooting for months in real sailing conditions. The budget, around $250 million , makes "The Odyssey" the most expensive production of the British director's career, something the trailer hints at in every shot: full fleets, monumental sets, and meticulous lighting.
This technical setup, specifically designed for European IMAX theaters and large conventional screens , reinforces Nolan's commitment to cinema as a theatrical experience. As with previous projects, the director and Universal have designed a promotional campaign that prioritizes theatrical viewing, delaying the release of official footage online for weeks.
A star-studded Hollywood cast
The trailer confirms that "The Odyssey" boasts a top-notch ensemble cast . Matt Damon leads the cast as Odysseus, the war-weary king of Ithaca, who faces a perilous journey home. Alongside him, Tom Holland plays his son Telemachus, while Anne Hathaway portrays Penelope, the queen who remains in Ithaca awaiting her husband's return.
The trailer also features brief appearances by Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Jon Bernthal, Elliot Page, Mia Goth, and other actors , creating a mosaic of characters who will be divided among gods, allies, enemies, and ambiguous figures on the journey. While the trailer doesn't reveal all the roles in detail, it does suggest that each presence will have dramatic weight, and not just a decorative function within the spectacle.
Nolan, fresh from winning the Oscar for Best Director for “Oppenheimer,” seems intent on combining war epic, family drama, and high-seas terror this time around . The brief scenes of storms, shipwrecks, and invisible creatures suggest a film that moves between classic adventure cinema, almost terrifying suspense, and an intimate tale about the consequences of war on personal relationships.
A release strategy focused on the movie theater
For months, the promotion of "The Odyssey" has been orchestrated around one clear idea: see it first in theaters . The campaign kicked off with an exclusive teaser shown in cinemas, followed by a six-minute prologue screened in 70mm IMAX theaters before select premieres and re-releases, especially in the United States, and in some European capitals with IMAX infrastructure.
Later, Universal released a new, standalone trailer for that prologue in theaters , which has been shown, for example, alongside some screenings of "Avatar: Fire and Ashes." Both materials have circulated partially through leaks, but the studio kept the official footage off digital platforms for some time. Now, with the release of the first online trailer, the campaign opens up to the wider European public, who can now get a clearer idea of the tone and scale of the project.
On social media, journalists and film critics, such as Courtney Howard and Dan Marcus , have shared enthusiastic impressions of what they saw on the big screen. They've described the trailer as "mythical, haunting, and grandiose," highly immersive thanks to the IMAX format, and several viewers have mentioned unusual reactions to a simple trailer, such as applause at the end of the screening in some theaters.
The treatment of light and the contrast between myth and reality
Beyond the lavish production values, a significant portion of the initial reactions focus on the use of light and color in the trailer. Despite being a story set in the Mediterranean, the trailer employs a palette dominated by shadows and cool tones in the battle scenes, forests, and sea voyages, reserving warmer colors for the moments in Ithaca and the sequences involving Odysseus's family.
This visual contrast reinforces the separation between home and the hostile world : Ithaca is perceived as a refuge bathed in a gentler light, while the rest of the journey is presented as an uncertain, almost nightmarish territory. Some of the nighttime compositions, in which only fire breaks the darkness, are reminiscent of the aesthetic of recent films centered on Norse mythology, with lighting that combines physical realism and a certain dreamlike quality.
The trailer gives the impression that myth and reality constantly overlap . Giant creatures, the Trojan horse, the brutality of hand-to-hand combat, and the sea as an uncontrollable force are all integrated into a single visual narrative. Instead of emphasizing the fantastical element with an overtly unreal style, Nolan seems to be opting for the supernatural to infiltrate an environment that, essentially, is filmed with physical resources and real locations.
Debate over costumes and historical accuracy
Alongside the enthusiasm, the trailer has sparked a debate about the film's historical accuracy , especially regarding costumes and armor. Since the release of the first promotional images, some historians and fans have pointed out alleged anachronisms in helmets, breastplates, and garments such as the trousers worn by Telemachus in certain scenes.
One point of contention is a helmet with a kind of golden "spine" on the back, visible in posters and brief shots in the trailer. Its design has been criticized on social media for being closer to the aesthetic of superhero franchises than to Mycenaean Greece, and the film has even been accused of "Marvelizing" antiquity. Telemachus's wearing trousers has also been questioned, as several experts point out that at that time, this garment was more associated with peoples considered barbarians than with Greek nobility.
However, other specialists have pointed out that there are possible historical and creative justifications . In the case of the helmet, it is suggested that the design could be loosely inspired by armor made from boar tusks, documented at Mycenaean sites, reinterpreted here in a more cinematic way. This line of defense understands the costumes as a stylization that takes elements from archaeology but adapts them to the visual needs of a blockbuster intended for a wide audience.
This clash between historical accuracy and creative freedom is not new in epic cinema, but in the case of "The Odyssey" it takes on greater significance because Nolan has insisted on his "realistic" approach to the source material . The combination of extreme physical filming, the IMAX format, and an aesthetic that, in general, avoids excessive digital effects, contrasts with certain liberties visible in the costume design, and suggests that the film's reception could be more divided than usual for the director's filmography.
Between epic tradition and auteur cinema
In statements prior to the trailer's release, Nolan explained that he identified a gap in the treatment of Greek mythology within big-budget cinema: this universe has rarely been approached with the combination of scale, dramatic seriousness, and technical ambition now reserved for major contemporary sagas. "The Odyssey," as outlined in this first preview, aims to fill that void.
The director insists that Homer's text contains elements of horror, mystery, romance, and thriller , and that it cannot be confined to a single genre. The trailer supports this view with a mix of images: from the intimacy of Penelope and Telemachus in Ithaca to the oppressive atmosphere of the galleys during a storm, including fleeting appearances of monsters that seem to emerge from both a collective nightmare and an adventure story.
Ultimately, the film positions itself as a hybrid of big-budget spectacle and auteur cinema . Nolan's signature style is evident in the musical fanfare, the cross-cutting montages of extreme situations, and a certain solemn density that has become his trademark. At the same time, the promotional material attempts to avoid revealing too much about the narrative structure, leaving open how the director will handle the time jumps, the more fantastical episodes, and the psychology of a hero who, in his own words, is no longer sure he can keep his promise to return home.
Release date and what's next
As the trailer itself confirms, "The Odyssey" will arrive in theaters on July 17, 2026 , with a worldwide release that will have particular significance in European markets where IMAX and large commercial theaters have gained prominence in recent years. The film will be shown exclusively in theaters during its initial release, with special screenings in 35mm, 70mm, and IMAX, in keeping with Nolan's long-standing commitment to the "cinema within the cinema" experience.
Universal is expected to ramp up the campaign in the coming months with new trailers, likely focusing more on the plot and the roles of supporting characters. For now, the first trailer serves as an introduction to the visual scale and tonal approach of the project, reserving subsequent materials for the development of the motivations of characters like Athena, Circe, and Penelope's suitors, whose motivations are hinted at but barely shown.
With everything we've seen so far, "The Odyssey" is shaping up to be one of the major cinematic events of the coming months , both for its technical ambition and its blend of classical tradition and contemporary vision. Among IMAX enthusiasts, lovers of Greek mythology, Nolan fans, and viewers curious to see how faithful the film is to Homer's text, the first trailer has achieved precisely what it set out to do: generate a huge amount of excitement before the film hits European screens this summer.
