The Odyssey (2026): Cast, Runtime, Reviews & Release Date

If you are searching for The Odyssey because you want to know whether Christopher Nolan’s 2026 epic is worth nearly three hours of your time, you are not alone. The film has generated enormous interest around its cast, release date, runtime, reviews, and IMAX screenings in London. More importantly, viewers want to know what kind of experience they are actually getting: a straightforward adaptation of Homer, a typical Nolan puzzle, or something much bigger.

The Odyssey opened in cinemas on July 17, 2026, with a reported runtime of around 173 minutes (2 hours 53 minutes).

This guide breaks down the important details without assuming you already know Homer’s epic. It also explains why the movie works differently on a large-format screen, what critics are saying, who plays the major characters, and whether its long runtime feels justified.

What Is The Odyssey About?

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey adapts Homer’s ancient Greek epic about Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his difficult journey home after the Trojan War.

The basic premise sounds simple: Odysseus wants to return to his wife Penelope and son Telemachus. The problem is that getting home becomes an extraordinary journey involving dangerous seas, mythical creatures, gods, temptations and battles.

The film’s official synopsis centers on Odysseus crossing the Mediterranean with his soldiers while encountering deadly obstacles and mythical creatures.

But Nolan’s approach is not simply a chronological adventure.

The story moves between different moments and uses the consequences of Odysseus’s decisions to give earlier events new meaning. RogerEbert.com’s Matt Zoller Seitz specifically notes that Nolan treats time almost like a map, allowing moments to be revisited and understood differently later.

That makes the film more than a monster-filled fantasy adventure. At its center are questions about:

• Loyalty and marriage
• The cost of war
• Fate versus personal choice
• Leadership
• Fatherhood
• Homecoming
• Pride and deception
• What people owe one another

The Odyssey 2026 Cast

One of the biggest reasons the movie attracted attention before release was its unusually large ensemble.

Matt Damon as Odysseus

Matt Damon plays Odysseus, the central character.

Damon has to carry a character who is simultaneously a warrior, king, husband and father. That combination is important because Odysseus is not simply presented as an unbeatable hero. His intelligence and decisions repeatedly influence whether his journey succeeds or becomes even more dangerous.

Anne Hathaway as Penelope

Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, Odysseus’s wife.

Her role matters because the story is not exclusively about the man travelling home. Penelope is dealing with the consequences of his absence in Ithaca while trying to protect her household and maintain control over increasingly aggressive suitors.

Tom Holland as Telemachus

Tom Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope.

His character gives the film another emotional perspective: a son who has grown up with an absent father and has to determine what kind of man he wants to become.

Robert Pattinson as Antinous

Robert Pattinson portrays Antinous, one of the prominent suitors competing for Penelope’s hand.

Lupita Nyong’o

Lupita Nyong’o has a significant dual role, appearing as Helen and Clytemnestra, according to the film’s listed cast.

Charlize Theron

Charlize Theron plays Calypso, another important figure encountered during Odysseus’s journey.

Other members of the ensemble include Zendaya, Elliot Page, Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Travis Scott and others.

The Odyssey Release Date

The Odyssey was released in cinemas on July 17, 2026.

The film received a wide theatrical release rather than being positioned as a streaming-first movie. The UK BFI IMAX listing also gives July 17 as the start of its IMAX 70mm screenings.

That theatrical strategy makes sense for a film designed around enormous landscapes, battles and large-format photography.

For someone deciding whether to watch it at home eventually or see it in a cinema, the practical answer is straightforward: the theatrical format is a major part of the experience, particularly for viewers who have access to genuine IMAX presentation.

How Long Is The Odyssey Movie?

The Odyssey runs for approximately 173 minutes, or 2 hours and 53 minutes.

Some databases list the runtime as 2 hours 52 minutes, reflecting rounding differences. The BFI IMAX listing gives 173 minutes, while Rotten Tomatoes lists 2h 52m.

So, if you’re planning a cinema trip, allow roughly:

2 hours 53 minutes + trailers and advertisements + travel/parking time.

For a practical example, if your screening begins at 7:00 p.m., you should not expect to be completely finished until around 9:53 p.m., before accounting for anything shown before the feature.

Does the runtime feel too long?

Interestingly, one of the more useful observations from the reviews is that the film can feel shorter than its actual runtime.

RogerEbert.com’s review describes the 172–173-minute film as moving efficiently because of the way Nolan and editor Jennifer Lame structure time and revisit important moments.

That doesn’t mean every viewer will find the pacing perfect. If you dislike long epics or mythological storytelling, nearly three hours can still feel substantial.

But for viewers who become invested in the characters, the runtime is less noticeable than the number suggests.

The Odyssey Reviews: What Critics Are Saying

The early critical response has been strongly positive.

At the time of writing, Rotten Tomatoes lists 94% from critics and 97% from audiences, based on more than 500 critic reviews and 25,000 verified audience ratings.

Metacritic gives the film a Metascore of 88, categorizing its critical reception as “Universal Acclaim.”

These numbers provide a useful starting point, but they don’t tell you why people like the movie.

What critics generally praise

Several themes appear repeatedly:

1. Scale

This is one of those movies designed to feel enormous. The combination of IMAX photography, landscapes, battles and mythological imagery gives the story a physical scale that ordinary fantasy filmmaking may struggle to reproduce.

2. Performances

The ensemble is frequently highlighted, particularly Damon and the major supporting performers. Rotten Tomatoes’ first-review roundup notes praise for the cast’s performances alongside the spectacle.

3. Emotional weight

The film isn’t only interested in showing what Odysseus encounters. It focuses on what those experiences cost him and the people waiting for him.

4. Nolan’s structure

Viewers familiar with Nolan should not be surprised that the storytelling plays with chronology and perspective.

Is The Odyssey a Good Movie?

Based on the current critical and audience response, yes, it is widely regarded as one of the major films of 2026.

But whether you personally enjoy it depends heavily on what you expect.

The important distinction is that Nolan has adapted Homer rather than simply filming the ancient poem scene by scene.

RogerEbert.com’s review specifically points out that Nolan takes liberties while combining different accounts of Odysseus’s story.

That means someone approaching the movie as a literal classroom adaptation may have a different reaction from someone approaching it as a new cinematic interpretation.

Why IMAX Matters So Much for The Odyssey

This is probably the most practical question for potential viewers.

The film was shot entirely using IMAX cameras and is described by BFI IMAX as the first feature shot entirely on IMAX 70mm with IMAX cameras.

That changes the recommendation considerably.

If you have the choice between:

• ordinary cinema
• standard digital IMAX
• IMAX with Laser
• genuine 70mm IMAX

the latter formats can offer a substantially more immersive presentation.

The Odyssey IMAX London

For viewers searching specifically for The Odyssey IMAX London, the BFI IMAX in London is particularly significant.

BFI IMAX has been showing the film in 70mm IMAX, with screenings beginning July 17. Its listing identifies the film as 173 minutes and highlights the rare 70mm presentation.

Demand has been unusually high. A London listing reported that the first weeks sold out rapidly, with all 173 of the cinema’s 70mm IMAX screenings through August and into September selling out at one point.

The BFI’s current listings also show later September screenings, including a September 14 screening and a September 18 screening.

Is 70mm IMAX worth it?

For this particular film, I’d say yes if you can reasonably get a ticket.

A useful way to think about it is that you’re not merely paying for a bigger picture. You’re experiencing the format the production was specifically designed around.

That distinction is easy to overlook when people compare IMAX simply by screen size.

Three Things About The Odyssey That Are Easy to Miss

1. The movie is as much about home as the journey

The obvious selling point is Odysseus’s adventure.

But emotionally, the destination matters more than the monsters.

Every encounter means something because Odysseus has a home, a wife and a son waiting for him. Without that emotional destination, the voyage would simply become a sequence of increasingly spectacular obstacles.

2. Odysseus is not just fighting external enemies

A common mistake is to view the story as Odysseus versus monsters.

The deeper conflict involves his own decisions.

Pride, curiosity, leadership and the consequences of choices repeatedly shape the journey. This makes the story more interesting than a conventional hero simply defeating one villain after another.

3. The nonlinear storytelling is part of the point

If you watch the movie expecting every event to unfold in perfectly chronological order, some transitions may initially seem unusual.

Nolan uses structure to change how the audience interprets events. A detail shown earlier can become more meaningful after another scene gives it context.

That is one reason the movie rewards paying attention rather than treating it as background entertainment.

Common Mistakes Before Watching The Odyssey

Mistake 1: Expecting a straightforward superhero-style adventure

The movie contains spectacular action, but it isn’t structured like a conventional action blockbuster.

There is substantial emphasis on mythology, character relationships, fate and consequence.

Mistake 2: Assuming you need to read Homer first

You don’t need to read the original Odyssey to understand the movie.

Knowing the broad story can help, but the film provides enough context for newcomers.

Mistake 3: Ignoring the runtime

At almost three hours, this is not the ideal choice if you want something short after a long day.

Plan accordingly, particularly if you’re attending a late screening.

Mistake 4: Choosing a cinema solely by ticket price

For many movies, the difference between ordinary and premium presentation is relatively minor.

For The Odyssey, the large-format experience is unusually relevant because of how the film was photographed.

Who Should Watch The Odyssey?

Watch it if you enjoy:

• Christopher Nolan
• Greek mythology
• Large-scale adventure films
• Historical or mythological epics
• Complex storytelling
• Matt Damon and ensemble casts
• Premium cinema experiences

You may want to skip it if:

• You dislike movies longer than two and a half hours
• You want a simple, linear story
• Mythology does not interest you
• You prefer small-scale dramas
• You find Nolan’s storytelling style frustrating

For most curious viewers, however, the film is worth considering at least once on the big screen.

FAQ

How long is The Odyssey movie?

The Odyssey runs for approximately 173 minutes, or 2 hours and 53 minutes. Some listings round the runtime to 2 hours and 52 minutes.

When was The Odyssey released?

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey was released theatrically on July 17, 2026. UK IMAX 70mm screenings at BFI IMAX also began on that date.

Who is in the cast of The Odyssey 2026?

The principal cast includes Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron, alongside a large supporting ensemble.

Is The Odyssey 2026 getting good reviews?

Yes. Current aggregate scores are very strong, with Rotten Tomatoes listing 94% from critics and 97% from audiences, while Metacritic lists an 88 Metascore.

Is The Odyssey worth seeing in IMAX?

For viewers who have access to a genuine IMAX presentation, particularly 70mm IMAX, it is arguably one of the best ways to experience the film. BFI IMAX specifically describes its presentation as a rare 70mm IMAX screening of a movie shot entirely using IMAX cameras.

Where can I watch The Odyssey in IMAX in London?

The BFI IMAX in London has been one of the major venues for The Odyssey in 70mm IMAX. Its listings show screenings extending into September 2026, although availability can change quickly because of high demand.

Final Verdict

The Odyssey is best understood not simply as another 2026 blockbuster, but as Christopher Nolan’s attempt to turn one of the oldest adventure stories in Western literature into a modern large-format cinematic experience.

The essential facts are easy to remember: July 17, 2026 release date, roughly 173 minutes runtime, Matt Damon leading a major ensemble, and exceptionally strong critical and audience reception.

The more interesting takeaway is that the film’s greatest strength isn’t necessarily any single monster, battle or visual spectacle. It is the way Nolan connects the enormous journey with a very human desire: getting home to the people who are waiting for you.

If you are deciding whether to spend nearly three hours watching it, the current evidence strongly suggests that it is worth the commitment. And if you have the opportunity to see it in a genuine IMAX 70mm presentation, The Odyssey is one of those films where the cinema itself becomes part of the experience.