The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan's IMAX epic of Homer's Odyssey
After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a perilous voyage home to Ithaca, confronting the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, Calypso, and the gods themselves along the way.
Directed by Christopher Nolan · Adventure · Drama · Fantasy · 172 min · 2026
Trailer
Director
Christopher Nolan
Studio
Universal Pictures / Syncopy
Release
July 17, 2026
Runtime
172 min
Genres
Adventure, Drama, Fantasy
Budget
$250 million (reported)
Box office
$639.6 million worldwide (as of 2026-07-28, per TMDb)
Full Plot
After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Calypso along the way.
Cast & Characters
Lupita Nyong'o in a dual role as:
the most beautiful woman in the world, whose abduction triggers the Trojan War.
Helen of Troy, wife of Menelaus, described
Clytemnestra, Helen's twin half-sister, wife of Agamemnon, who murders him upon his return from Troy.
Sinon, a Greek soldier and the son of a slave of Antinous, who was recruited as a child to be raised to serve as a soldier who would reach adulthood upon the Greeks' arrival at Troy. Sinon is not in Homer's original poem and his story was borrowed from Virgil's Aeneid and other myths.
Elliot PageDid You Know?
The Odyssey is the first Christopher Nolan film shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film cameras.
Source: Britannica · verified 2026-07-28
At a reported $250 million budget, it's believed to be the most expensive production of Nolan's career.
Source: Britannica · verified 2026-07-28
The film opened with the biggest live-action opening weekend of 2026, grossing $87 million in its second weekend alone.
Source: Rotten Tomatoes (box office editorial) · verified 2026-07-28
Did You Know that Christopher Nolan's next film was set up at Universal Pictures before Oppenheimer?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that The Odyssey is a "mythic action epic" that would be filmed worldwide?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Did You Know that Nolan had considered casting actors to portray Greek gods throwing thunderbolts from Mount Olympus, but found depicting the characters' fear of the gods' actions provided a more immersive experience?
Source: Wikipedia · verified 2026-08-13
Critical Assessment
The Odyssey has become Christopher Nolan's best-reviewed film to date: it holds an 8.3/10 on IMDb, a 95% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes (Nolan's highest ever, surpassing The Dark Knight and Memento) with a rare 97% audience score, and a Metacritic score of 89/100 — a near-universal-acclaim tier across all three aggregators.
“The Odyssey is Nolan's crowning achievement.” — Mike Ryan, The Hard Pass “A genuine masterclass in filmmaking that's awe-inducing, breathtaking and impeccably composed.” — Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction “An awe-inspiring, epic filmmaking achievement.” — Rendy Jones, Rendy Reviews
Unlike most blockbusters where audience and critic scores diverge, The Odyssey's 97% audience score actually edges out its already-record 95% critic score — an unusually tight consensus that suggests the film's scale and faithfulness to Homer's source material landed with both camps rather than splitting them.
Ratings as of August 11, 2026
AI Verdict
AI-generatedCross-referencing the numbers: a near-record spread across IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Metacritic this tight is rare for a $250M tentpole — it typically signals a film that succeeds as both spectacle and craft, not just one or the other. Worth seeing in IMAX if you can.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is The Odyssey's Rotten Tomatoes score?+
The Odyssey holds a 95% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes and a 97% audience score.
What is The Odyssey's IMDb rating?+
The Odyssey has a 8.5/10 rating on IMDb from 377,702 votes.
What is The Odyssey's Metacritic score?+
The Odyssey has a Metascore of 88/100 on Metacritic.
Is The Odyssey good? What are critics saying?+
The Odyssey has become Christopher Nolan's best-reviewed film to date: it holds an 8.3/10 on IMDb, a 95% critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes (Nolan's highest ever, surpassing The Dark Knight and Memento) with a rare 97% audience score, and a Metacritic score of 89/100 — a near-universal-acclaim tier across all three aggregators.
How long is The Odyssey?+
The Odyssey has a runtime of 172 min.
Who directed The Odyssey?+
The Odyssey was directed by Christopher Nolan.
Fan & Critic Buzz
Here is a summary of public reaction to the movie "The Odyssey" based on the provided text: Reviews praise Christopher Nolan's maximalist and deeply faithful adaptation, calling it "the best movie theater experience ever had". However, some critics express disappointment with the film's historical accuracy and faithfulness to Homer's source material.
Viewer Reviews (TMDb)
Monty Python couldn't improve on this. Suffice to say, someone doesn't know their classical Greek history/mythology too well. They have excavated remains from the site of Troy and undertaken facial recreations. Would it surprise anyone to know they look Greek? Would it surprise a…
MovieGuys · 4/10Check out my full review @ https://www.manuelsbento.com/the-odyssey-2026-christopher-nolans-most-faithful-epic-is-also-his-most-ambitious-one/ Rating: A+ (updated after second viewing) THE ODYSSEY is a maximalist, deeply faithful adaptation of Homer's poem that somehow ends on a…
Manuel São Bento · 10/10The hype was massive, the crowd was packed, but the boredom in the theatre at the end credits said it all. A 172-minute film felt like it was a 6+ hour watch. This isn’t a respectful adaptation of Homer’s epic; it’s a bloated, self-important disaster that butchers the source mate…
AlphaLucifer · 1/10This has to be the best movie theater experience I’ve ever had. I unfortunately couldn’t see it in 70MM IMAX as Houston doesn’t have one and didn’t want to drive to San Antonio. I watched it in standard IMAX at Regal Lonestar 12 minutes from home. I’m a Nolan fan but not everythi…
ABSOLUTE trash of a movie, goes against all ethos and morals in filming, it takes way identity and places people of new world order agenda. Very poor adaptation of homer. Matt with his daughters and wife should spend time in India for the next pandemic, instead of Ireland. I will…
As one of the 2026 summer movie season’s most anticipated releases, writer-director Christopher Nolan’s screen adaptation of Homer’s literary epic, The Odyssey, has generated more than its share of reactions and for a variety of reasons. So I’ll come right to the point on my view…
Brent Marchant · 7/10Homer's epic has endured for thousands of years, and Nolan's adaptation reminds you exactly why. The dialogue is lean and purposeful, he trusts the audience completely, and every setpiece — Cyclops, Sirens, Ithaca's reckoning — builds to a stunning finish. Superb acting, cinemato…
Nick · 10/10With a production design worthy of Sir Ridley Scott, Christopher Nolan takes us into antiquity for his take on the second instalment of Homer's Trojan War stories. I have to say it's maybe not the most impressive of wooden horses that is left as a tribute for the maybe just a lit…
CinemaSerf · 7/10An amazingly ambitious effort that mostly pays off. Solid acting, great production values, and an effective reuse by Nolan of plot elements and characters from Homer's epic to tell a story for the modern audience. I have no regrets having paid for theater tickets to have seen thi…
threestardave · 9/10Laughably bad. The funniest part, albeit unintentional, was when travis scott did his black 'slam poetry' attempt. I heard several people in the audience start giggling. It was the part of the film that I'll always remember. I bet a thousand memes will live on in history thanks t…
Perth Bogan · 1/10only One word " Masterpiece " every department at its finest Direction top notch screenplay top notch Music and Background Tracks Top notch cinematography top notch totally a typical Nolan's film
One of the biggest insult to human intelligence. Nolan has done everything in his power to disintegrate the world, the word and spirit of Homer's poem. Nothing of the message has remained. Even Emily Wilson spurious translation of the Odyssey upon which it seems to be based has c…
Frustration on the "bizarre" and immersion-breaking casting choices—such as Elliot Page and Lupita Nyong'o—stating that Hollywood completely stripped away Odysseus's legendary tactical brilliance in favor of thin writing and modern ideological changes.
Arjun · 1/10Super boring, mid acting, bland set-pieces, what a waste of money and talent and technology (imax). Terrible soundtrack, miscast actors (Zendaya and Tom Holland for sure), too long, bland color palate too.
IMAX-70MM · 1/10So I went to see this one 2x because I had to confirm if I was tripping because my reaction just wasn't what most people felt when they saw The Odyssey according to the reviews here. The second viewing only confirmed my initial reaction, it's a good enough film but it not a maste…
MonksFilms · 6/10**The Odyssey is a three-hour insult to the audience** This film refused to take the source material seriously. The casting was a DEI checklist, with the assembly so jarring that it was on par with the forced multiculturalism in 2008's "10,000 BC". Costumes, sets, and dialog all…
TkA · 3/10Movie actually surprised me. It was told in such a way that I was never bored. It bounce between current and past events in such a way it felt like a memory. The visuals were amazing. Simple and not so CGI that you felt like you watching a cartoon or some garbage AI generation. A…
BubbanTexas · 10/10Epic pulls you in / Troy behind them, hope ahead / What men really are #filmreviewhaiku #moviereviewhaiku
ianrathbone · 10/10Incredibley Insane It was Amazing watching it in IMAX even though the sound was sometimes a problem but i loved every second of it!
arthurm99 · 10/10After watching this in IMAX, I’m not surprised why people are talking about this movie. I’m not someone deeply versed in Greek mythology, but I can say that this film is an absolutely insane masterpiece. The way the storylines gradually converged kept me fully engaged, allowing m…
ℛ. · 9/10
From the trailer's comments
Odysseus: “No one could stand between my men and home.” Poseidon: “Wanna bet?”
@ryannelson1648 · 46838 likesPeople complain about the armour being historically inaccurate. But at least they nailed Odysseus's Boston accent.
@Rasim9898 · 9584 likesFun fact: instead of using CGI, Nolan requested a fully functional Earth.
@Olehanda · 56078 likesCame back here after watching the movie to say all the critics and haters in the comments were wrong. Such an amazing film.
@64_chances · 1935 likesProps to Nolan for hiring real life giants.
@user-11Il10I1 · 64688 likesI'm glad 300 was made before 2026.
@Rasim9898 · 22896 likesNow Spiderman is REALLY far from home.
@UnderNeptunesFlag · 21040 likesThis movie was so good, it took me 10 years to get home from the cinema.
@joc3902 · 1129 likes
