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Christopher Nolan's voyage withThe Odyssey has done the impossible.
Following his long-awaited Oscar win for Oppenheimer, the prestigious filmmaker set his eyes on adapting Homer's epic masterpiece The Odyssey. However, it's known to be one of the most difficult stories to re-envision for the big screen due to its complex structure, outdated pacing, and narration. Nevertheless, Nolan is known for taking on these challenges, which only heightened anticipation for the upcoming fantasy epic. Now, the verdict is out on whether his gamble paid off.
With 163 reviews so far, The Odyssey debuts with a near-perfect 98% score on Rotten Tomatoes, officially dethroning Memento and The Dark Knight as Nolan's highest-rated movie in his entire career. Both movies tied the record with 94%. Additionally, it's the best-rated movie for Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong'o, and more cast members.
With an average rating of 8.80 out of 10, critics are calling Nolan's latest vision a cinematic triumph, from the monstrous action and visual grandeur to Matt Damon and Hathaway's emotional portrayals. So far, there are only two negative reviews, noting pacing issues as the film runs two hours and 53 minutes.
In ScreenRant's review of The Odyssey, Alexander Harrison declares the fantasy epic as "Not only is it the clear film of the year so far, it's one of the most impressive accomplishments of Nolan's career." With the caution of "exercise in patience – and delicious anticipation," the slow-burn pacing is "one of the film's greatest strengths."
In addition to the "wonderous" scope, "striking" score from Ludwig Göransson, and "perfectly in tune" performances from Damon, Hathaway, and Holland (among others), The Odyssey is "a truly cinematic experience" worthy of a perfect score of 10 stars.
The Odyssey became one of Nolan's most ambitious projects to date and the first movie to be shot entirely in IMAX's 70 mm camera. Anticipation has been high, given the project's star-studded cast, which also includes Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Samantha Nortion, and Jon Bernthal.
Nolan's upcoming fantasy adaptation faced some controversies leading up to its release, including historical inaccuracies, the lack of Greek representation, and the casting of Nyong'o as Helen of Troy. However, the backlash sparked little impact on its box office potential, as the adaptation is projected to make $85–100 million domestically and over $200 million worldwide against an expensive $250 million budget. If so, that would become Nolan's biggest opening for a non-superhero movie.
Given The Odyssey'sgrand scale, Universal pulled a rare move by releasing the first batch of IMAX tickets a year before its release. Those tickets sold out within a day, raising the profile of the upcoming fantasy movie. With more tickets dropping in the last month, the fantasy adaptation was setting multiple presales records, including the best PLF ticket sales at AMC in the last four years. Even with the unexpected R-rating, the momentum is unlikely to slow and is already looking to be one of the biggest blockbusters for the summer.
While speaking on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in May 2026, Nolan compared Homer's epic poem to the "Marvel of its day." He elaborated that "It’s very direct, this desire for us to feel or believe gods could walk amongst us, and I think the modern comic book is kind of our expression of that.” Closer to the movie's release, the director was open about envisioning a modern retelling of the story and defended the choice of contemporary English dialogue over artificial poetic speech.
The Odyssey follows Damon's Odysseus, who embarks on a difficult, time-consuming journey to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Alongside directing, Nolan wrote the screenplay and co-produced with his spouse, Emma Thomas.
The Odyssey will release in theaters on July 17, 2026.
