Christopher Nolan, the man who brought you Oppenheimer and the Dark Knight trilogy, has confirmed he will be making a film version of the iconic epic poem The Odyssey, and the cast is star-studded.
According to Deadline, the studio has described Christopher Nolan’s next film as “a mythic action epic shot across the world.” The story will bring to life Homer’s epic poem, following the hero Odysseus on his journey home to his wife and son after the Trojan War.
The cast is packed with Hollywood A-listers, from Matt Damon in his leading role as the titular Odysseus, to actors like Zendaya and Robert Pattinson. The only role that has been confirmed so far is Damon’s. The actors have been cast, but none of their roles have been announced.
Everyone has their ideas of who is who in this epic brought to the screen. Here are some of mine:
Lupita Nyong’o — Athena
Nyong’o is no stranger to period pieces, as shown in her outstanding work in Twelve Years a Slave. She has proved that she can be the strongest warrior in the room from her catalog with Marvel. When she is on screen, her presence demands attention, which is the energy I need from Odysseus’s goddess patron.
Athena plays a critical role in The Odyssey as Odysseus’s patron and mentor. She is the goddess of wisdom and war, so her presence must be fierce yet calculating. She is the strong force that has trained him and continues to look out for him throughout the story as Odysseus gets himself into more and more trouble.
Nyong’o’s natural presence on screen and her aura of sophistication and control would allow her to thrive in the role of the warrior goddess of wisdom.
Anne Hathaway — Penelope
Please give me Anne Hathaway as another leading lady. Penelope is Odysseus’s loving and patient wife who serves as his driving motivation on his journey. He rushed to get home to her as men back home in Ithaca scrambled to woo and wed her in the absence of her husband. She is a strong, ever-loving presence in the story, and I feel Hathaway can bring a unique life into the role.
Anne Hathaway recently stretched her romantic lead legs in The Idea of You, and she is no stranger to playing royalty, as shown through her roles in the iconic The Princess Diaries and Alice in Wonderland movies. On-screen, her regal nature shines through.
Hathaway has a brighter aura in her roles as well, as she tends to play lighter-hearted characters like Ella in Ella Enchanted. This would make her a great foil to Damon’s stoic Odysseus on screen, as she represents the strong presence of home guiding her husband.
Zendaya — Circe
Let’s be honest, Zendaya is magical. She just is. Who better to play the magical enchantress and minor goddess who takes great pride in her natural abilities? Circe is the daughter of the Titan Helios. She likes turning men into animals and takes pride in being the protector of the nymphs on the island of Aeaea.
Zendaya would be perfect for this role. Anyone who has seen her on the red carpet knows that she not only captures attention but also knows how to direct a room. This presence would serve her well as the ultra-powerful enchantress who turns men into pigs. She also has a background of playing humorous roles, which will come in handy for such a powerful and funny supervillain.
Tom Holland — Telemachus
Telemachus is Odysseus’s son. Telemachus starts the beginning of the story as a baby, but when we finally see him in the story, Odysseus has been gone for 20 years. Tom Holland may be 28, but he constantly plays pretty young characters. He could easily play 20, and he looks like he could play Matt Damon’s son.
Tom Holland’s role as Spider-Man makes him no stranger to a role like Telemachus. In the epic story, Telemachus is a kid with a good heart, he’s also truly his father’s son in terms of combat once he begins to be trained by Athena.
Telemachus is left in Odysseus’s role as his mother’s protector, and he’s responsible for protecting his mother from her suitors who wish his family harm. Tom Holland’s ability to pull off complicated fight choreography would make him a great fit for Athena’s protégé, and his ability to show deep emotion through heartfelt scenes would make him the perfect protector of his mother and home.
Get hyped for the next movie of the year! More announcements and trailers are yet to come, and the excitement around the film will just continue to grow! The Odyssey is set to be released on July 17, 2026.
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