Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Opens July 17 with $120M Forecast, Casting Sparks US-Greece Divide

Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" arrives in cinemas on July 17, adapting Homer's nearly 3,000-year-old epic poem into a $250 million spectacle shot entirely on IMAX cameras. The three-hour film follows Greek king Odysseus (Matt Damon) on his perilous 10-year journey home to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland), encountering the Cyclops, sirens, and vengeful gods. The ensemble cast includes Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, and Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy.

The casting of Black actress Nyong'o as Helen has ignited fierce controversy in the United States, with critics including Elon Musk and Matt Walsh arguing the choice prioritizes identity politics over historical accuracy. Conservative commentators have echoed past fan criticisms of sci-fi and fantasy adaptations featuring Black and Latino actors in traditionally different roles. In response, Nolan told the Associated Press he wanted to make the film accessible and "not look back to past Hollywood versions of how to take on the ancient world," and dismissed pre-release criticism as irrelevant since critics had not seen the finished film.

The reaction in Greece sharply contrasts with US conservative circles. Greek educators and cultural figures view the casting as a legitimate contemporary reinterpretation of an ancient epic that has survived for nearly 3,000 years precisely through continuous reinvention. Filippos Mantzaris, a seventh-grade teacher in Athens, emphasizes that "every new creation is exactly that — a new creation," noting that Greek students grow up interpreting Homer through multiple lenses. Greeks are accustomed to foreign actors portraying ancient Greek heroes, and many view Nolan's adaptation as part of the story's living tradition rather than a departure from it.

Nolan has drawn inspiration from diverse sources, including Martin Scorsese's "The Last Temptation of Christ" and his own "Dark Knight" trilogy, seeking to balance creating an iconic figure with human relatability. He sees parallels between Odysseus and Robert Oppenheimer—both figures who carry guilt for fundamentally altering the world. Early reviews from critics invited to premieres have been broadly positive, with Los Angeles Times film editor Joshua Rothkopf calling it "a return home to the robustly entertaining action movies that cinema was invented to tell," and predictions that the film could be a best picture contender at next year's Oscars.

The film marks a significant milestone as the first major studio production shot entirely with IMAX cameras. Nolan explained that previous Odyssey adaptations—including the 1955 "Ulysses" with Kirk Douglas and 2024's "The Return"—lacked the technology to properly render the fantasy elements central to Homer's tale. The film is projected to earn as much as $120 million during its opening weekend, potentially marking the biggest debut of Nolan's non-franchise career.