The wait is almost over for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey (2026), a star-studded retelling of Homer’s legendary epic that’s going to change the blockbuster forever. With a release date of July 17, 2026 and a $250 million budget it’s already the most anticipated film of the decade.
Starring Matt Damon (Odysseus) and Tom Holland (Telemachus), with Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o and Robert Pattinson, The Odyssey is mythology, action and emotion in Nolan style.
Shot on IMAX 70mm and filmed in Greece and Morocco, the movie promises to be visually stunning with a score by Ludwig Göransson. For Australian readers this deep dive into the cast of The Odyssey (2026) reveals who’s playing who — and why Nolan’s Greek saga is going to be the event of next year.
Quick Take
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- Release: 17 July 2026 (US). Oz releases usually the same week for Nolan films — watch local listings as we get closer.
- Locked roles (confirmed): Matt Damon as Odysseus; Tom Holland as Telemachus.
- Stacked ensemble (roles TBC unless noted): Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron (Circe), Jon Bernthal and more.
- Big format: First feature shot entirely on IMAX film — Nolan and IMAX built lighter, quieter cameras just for this.
What is The Odyssey (2026)?
Beyond the plot the production is massive: global locations, big budget and Nolan’s biggest film-format experiment yet (more on that below). For Australian audiences the premium format will be the main game (IMAX/PLFs).
Meet the Cast of The Odyssey (2026)
Here’s a closer look at the key cast members, what we know for sure and what’s still up in the air. We’ve grouped them by confirmed leads, strong supporting & ensemble players and roles still largely rumoured.
1. Lead Roles (Confirmed)
Matt Damon as Odysseus
Image – Source
Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca who sets out on a perilous journey home after the Trojan War.
This is the second time Damon has worked with director Christopher Nolan (they collaborated on Interstellar and Oppenheimer).
In true Nolan style the visuals are epic: a first-look image released in early 2025 shows Damon in full armour and weathered cloak.
Tom Holland as Telemachus
Image – Source
Tom Holland is playing Telemachus, Odysseus’s son who sets out to find his father and is at the heart of the emotional core of the story.
This is Holland’s first time working with Nolan. He was photographed in armour on-set in March 2025.
2. Major Supporting & Ensemble Cast
The Lineup is Coming Together, But There’s Still a lot of Mystery
- Anne Hathaway – She’s been a Nolan regular for a long time, and there’s a pretty good chance that she’ll be playing Penelope, the loyal wife of Odysseus – though we’re still waiting on confirmation.
- Zendaya – One of the big names to join the cast in recent times, there’s some talk that she might be playing the goddess Athena – but don’t hold your breath for an official confirmation from the studio just yet.
- Lupita Nyong’o – We know she’s in the movie, but there are different theories as to who she might be playing – some think Clytemnestra, others Helen of Troy. We’ll just have to wait and see.
- Robert Pattinson – He’s another big name attached to the project, but we still don’t know who he’ll be playing in the movie. Will we learn more soon? Only time will tell.
- Charlize Theron – She’s officially on board, but some people are pretty convinced she’ll be playing the witch-goddess Circe. We’ll just have to wait and see how that pans out.
- Jon Bernthal – We know he’s in the cast, but officially his character name hasn’t been released yet & from the teaser footage, it appears he’s having a chat with Telemachus’ dads son – it looks like Telemachus.
3. Wider Ensemble (Lots of Names, Less Clarity on Roles)
The epic scale of the movie is really going to be bolstered by its cast – we’re talking loads of big names with plenty of room to explore the depths of the Greek myth. Some of the other names attached include:
Benny Safdie, Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Mia Goth, Corey Hawkins, Samantha Morton, Bill Irwin, Shiloh Fernandez, Nick E. Tarabay, Maurice Compte, Michael Vlamis, Iddo Goldberg , Josh Stewart, Ryan Hurst, Jovan Adepo, plus many, many more . Wikipedia
With such a large cast on board, you can bet that this is going to be a big-budget spectacle. For Aussie movie fans, that means we’re looking at a grand cinematic event rather than some low-key drama.
What We’re Still Waiting On
- Exact character names for many of the cast members & their roles are still up for grabs, even for some of the bigger players.
- Role confirmation for key mythic characters – Athena, Poseidon, Circe, Calypso, Eumaeus ;Polyphemus , and the like. There’s a lot of speculation to be had (Zendaya = Athena , Theron = Circe for example). Nerdist
- Australian release details & any special format screenings (IMAX/70mm) or local premiere events that might be happening – Aussie viewers will want to keep an eye out for any announcements.
- How faithful the adaptation will be – Will Christopher Nolan stick to the original myth or take some creative liberties? Speculation is that there might be a non-traditional take on the Odyssey – the teaser poster ‘s got a tagline that says “Defy the Gods” after all.
Quick Reference Table: The Odyssey (2026) — Complete Cast and Character List
| Actor | Role / Character | Confirmation Status |
| Matt Damon | Odysseus – King of Ithaca | ✅ Confirmed |
| Tom Holland | Telemachus – Son of Odysseus | ✅ Confirmed |
| Anne Hathaway | Penelope – Wife of Odysseus (rumoured) | 🟠 Strong speculation |
| Zendaya | Athena – Goddess of Wisdom (rumoured) | 🟡 Speculation |
| Charlize Theron | Circe – Witch-Goddess (rumoured) | 🟠 Strong speculation |
| Lupita Nyong’o | Helen of Troy / Clytemnestra (rumoured) | 🟡 Speculation |
| Jon Bernthal | King Menelaus (teaser shows dialogue with Telemachus) | 🟠 Likely |
| Robert Pattinson | Undisclosed – possible Noble/Warrior ally | ✅ Confirmed |
| Elliot Page | Undisclosed – speculated as Calypso or oracle figure | ✅ Confirmed |
| Benny Safdie | Undisclosed – possible physicist-style advisor to Odysseus | ✅ Confirmed |
| Himesh Patel | Undisclosed – sailor or navigator role speculated | ✅ Confirmed |
| Mia Goth | Undisclosed – potential nymph or sirens sequence | ✅ Confirmed |
| Corey Hawkins | Undisclosed – warrior / crewman | ✅ Confirmed |
| Samantha Morton | Undisclosed – possibly goddess Hera or seer role | ✅ Confirmed |
| Bill Irwin | Undisclosed – vocal performance / mentor spirit | ✅ Confirmed |
| John Leguizamo | Undisclosed – comic relief crewman (early rumours) | ✅ Confirmed |
| Jesse Garcia | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Will Yun Lee | Undisclosed – soldier / mercenary rumour | ✅ Confirmed |
| Rafi Gavron | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Shiloh Fernandez | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Nick E. Tarabay | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Jimmy Gonzales | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Maurice Compte | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Michael Vlamis | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Iddo Goldberg | Undisclosed – rumoured Poseidon | 🟡 Speculation |
| Logan Marshall-Green | Undisclosed – replaced Cosmo Jarvis before filming | ✅ Confirmed |
| Jovan Adepo | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Ryan Hurst | Undisclosed – possible Cyclops Polyphemus motion capture | 🟡 Speculation |
| James Remar | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Josh Stewart | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Anthony Molinari | Undisclosed – stunt role likely | ✅ Confirmed |
| Benny Safdie | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Funke Akindele | Undisclosed | ✅ Confirmed |
| Cosmo Jarvis | Originally cast – replaced by Logan Marshall-Green | ⛔ Replaced |
Reading Guide
- ✅ Confirmed – listed by Universal, THR or IMDb.
- 🟠 Strong speculation – widely repeated by major trades (Variety / GQ / Nerdist).
- 🟡 Speculation – popular online theory or teaser-based inference.
- ⛔ Replaced – was attached during pre-production but dropped before filming.
Conclusion
When the credits roll on The Odyssey (2026), Christopher Nolan’s new epic will have been more than just a retelling of the myth – it’ll be a journey through time, courage, & imagination that we’ll all be talking about for a long time.
With Matt Damon at the helm as Odysseus & a supporting cast that’s chock-full of modern movie stars, this film is going to be all about redefining the heroic journey for a whole new generation of movie fans.
FAQs: Cast, Characters, and Rumours in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey
1. Who is Playing Who in the Odyssey (2026)?
- Matt Damon has been confirmed to play Odysseus – the king of Ithaca.
- Oh, and Tom Holland is going to be Telemachus, Odysseus’s son.
- Loads of other big-name stars are listed in the cast – like Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson and Charlize Theron – but as yet we still don’t know who they’re playing.
- To put it short: we know who’s starring in the main roles and loads of other names, but the complete casting list isn’t all sorted out yet.
2. Who is Zendaya Playing in the Odyssey 2026?
- Unfortunately, we don’t have any official word on whether Zendaya has landed a specific role or not.
- People are speculating that she might play Athena – but that’s purely based on the fact she’s part of the cast and that’s where the myth runs – no one actually knows for sure yet.
- Until someone makes an official announcement, her role remains a mystery.
3. Who Will Anne Hathaway Play in the Odyssey?
- Anne Hathaway is part of the cast all right.
- But we don’t yet know who she’ll be playing – at least, not according to the public anyway.
- Some of the industry folk think she might be Penelope – Odysseus’s trusty wife in the original story – but nothing’s been confirmed officially.
4. Who Will Tom Holland Play in the Odyssey?
- Alright, Tom Holland is signed up to play Telemachus – Odysseus’s son. (People.com)
- This should mean he’ll be at the centre of the story’s emotional bit – searching for his dad and playing his own important part.
5. Who Will Play Helen in the Odyssey?
- At the minute, no one’s been officially cast as Helen of Troy (or equivalent character) in the film.
- We do know that Lupita Nyong’o is part of the cast, which has led to some speculation that she might be playing Helen or possibly Clytemnestra – although that’s still just speculation.
- In a nutshell: Helen’s casting is still in the air.
6. Who is Richer, Tom Holland or Timothée Chalamet?
- It turns out that according to a few different sources, Tom Holland’s estimated net worth is around 25 million dollars… (or at least, that’s what it was in 2025). (Parade)
- Timothée Chalamet is supposedly worth a similar amount, i.e. around 25 million dollars. (Celebrity Net Worth)
- So with those figures in mind, they’re basically tied for first in the wealth stakes – and there’s not really any reliable public info to say one’s got a lot more than the other at this point.
- Looking at estimates, it’s fair to say they’re roughly on the same level in terms of wealth, though Holland might just about have the edge, especially with recent blockbuster earnings.
Featured Image Sources
Disclaimer
The images featuring Matt Damon and Tom Holland used in this article are not owned by Business Medium. They have been sourced from third-party websites, with proper credit and source links provided. The featured image has also been obtained from external sources for illustrative and informational purposes only.
