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In a new interview with Empire, Christopher Nolan revealed that his upcoming adaptation of Homer’s Greek epic The Odyssey used over 380 miles of film, much of it shot on the open sea to capture the unpredictability of Mother Nature.
“It’s pretty primal!” Nolan told the magazine. “I’ve been busy with this for the last four months. We’ve put the actors playing the crew of Odysseus’ ship on real waves and in real places. And yes, it’s vast and terrifying and wonderful and benevolent as the conditions change. We really wanted to capture how difficult these journeys must have been for people. And the leap into the unknown that was taken in an unknown, unexplored world.”
Christopher Nolan’s most expensive film
The film has a reported budget of $250 million, making it the most expensive film of Nolan’s career. Matt Damon will play Odysseus, while Tom Holland will portray his son Telemachus.
The star cast also includes Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal and Mia Goth.
The project follows Nolan’s Oscar-winning 2023 film “Oppenheimer,” which won the trophies for best picture and best director, as well as best actor (Cillian Murphy) and best supporting actor (Robert Downey Jr.).
“By incorporating the physicality of the real world into the making of the film, you tell the story in an interesting way,” Nolan added when discussing the scope of “The Odyssey.” “Because every day you are confronted with the world that pushes you back.”
The new Nolan epic will hit theaters on July 17, 2026.