Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Trailer Is Here: Matt Damon Battles Mythic Beasts in IMAX Epic

Fresh off his Oscar triumph with Oppenheimer, isn't taking a break. Universal Pictures has dropped the first official trailer for his next film, The Odyssey, a large-scale adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic. Starring as the hero Odysseus, the film is set to storm into theaters on July 17, 2026.

Released Monday, the trailer offers a stunning glimpse into Odysseus's perilous journey home after the Trojan War. "After years of war, no one could stand between my men and home," Damon's Odysseus narrates. "Not even me." The footage goes all-in on the mythology, revealing a massive humanoid figure—likely the cyclops Polyphemus—in a cave, undead soldiers clawing from the earth, and raging seas battering the crew. The trailer also showcases the legendary Trojan Horse, featuring a tense, claustrophobic sequence with Odysseus and his men hiding inside.

The film boasts a star-studded cast. Alongside Damon's Odysseus, plays his wife, Penelope, and portrays their son, Telemachus. In a GQ interview, Holland called the role "the job of a lifetime," promising the movie will be "unlike anything we've ever seen." The trailer hints at the family's emotional core, closing with Penelope's plea, "Promise me you will come back," and Odysseus's haunting reply, "What if I can't?"

Based on one of literature's oldest stories, Nolan's film follows the king of Ithaca on his 10-year struggle to return home. The journey is fraught with deadly encounters, including a Cyclops, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe. Meanwhile, in Ithaca, his wife fends off suitors attempting to usurp his throne. Described by Universal as a "mythic action epic," the entire movie was shot on large-format IMAX cameras to capture every battle and beast in breathtaking detail.