Christopher Nolan's the Odyssey Shifts Genres Amid Buzz

WHO:

USA Today - Christopher Nolan, Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron

USA Today - Next Best Picture Editor-In-Chief Matt Neglia, IndieWire Editor at Large Anne Thompson, Los Angeles Times film editor Joshua Rothkopf, Polygon Deputy Editor Jake Kleinman, Variety Senior Artisans Editor Jazz Tangcay, "The Big Picture" host Sean Fennessey, Hollywood Reporter Film Editor Aaron Couch

WHAT:

USA Today - Variety Senior Artisans Editor Jazz Tangcay described "The Odyssey" as an "astonishing achievement" and a "triumphant, spectacular epic."

USA Today - Polygon Deputy Editor Jake Kleinman noted that "The Odyssey" is Nolan's "most straightforward movie ever," while also being "maybe his most impressive."

The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw described "The Odyssey" as a "colossal origin-myth story of postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence witnessed by the dead."

The Guardian - Erik Davis stated that "the scale is unlike anything he’s done before" and highlighted the film's horror elements, noting that "some of the film’s biggest moments are genuinely unsettling."

The Guardian - Davis praised Robert Pattinson's performance, stating he "absolutely stole the show" and described him as "conniving, manipulative and endlessly entertaining to watch."

USA Today - Next Best Picture Editor-In-Chief Matt Neglia stated that "The Odyssey" has "some of the most breathtaking set pieces" Nolan has ever attempted and is a "colossal achievement of scale."

The Guardian - Erik Davis described the film as "an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great film-makers of our time."

The Guardian - Davis noted that "the scale is unlike anything he’s done before" and highlighted the film's surprising horror influences, stating that "some of the film’s biggest moments are genuinely unsettling."

The Guardian - Tom Holland, the classical historian, defended the movie on X, stating: "I’ve now watched it twice, and it is by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen."

USA Today - IndieWire Editor-at-Large Anne Thompson declared "The Odyssey" the movie "to beat" for best picture at the 2027 Oscars.

USA Today - The Hollywood Reporter Film Editor Aaron Couch noted that the film features "a fleshed out horror sequence directed by Christopher Nolan."

The Guardian - Critics described the film as "flawless" and "breathtaking," with particular praise for Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Antinous.

The Guardian - Erik Davis highlighted that "the production design is incredible" and that "the action is breathtaking."

The Guardian - Tom Holland, the classical historian, stated that "The Odyssey" is "by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen."

The Guardian - The film "The Odyssey" world premiered in London.

The Guardian - Critics described the film as "flawless" and "breathtaking," with particular praise for Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Antinous.

The Guardian - Erik Davis noted that the film embraces horror, with some of its biggest moments being genuinely unsettling.

The Guardian - IndieWire’s David Ehrlich described the film as “surprisingly natural” and “less despairing” than Nolan’s previous film, "Oppenheimer."

The Guardian - Tom Holland, the classical historian, stated that he has watched the film twice and called it "by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen."

USA Today - IndieWire Editor-at-Large Anne Thompson stated that her "high expectations were met" with the film, calling it "stunningly mounted."

The Guardian - Critics described the film as "flawless" and "breathtaking," with particular praise for Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Antinous.

The Guardian - Erik Davis noted that the film embraces horror, with some of its biggest moments being genuinely unsettling.

The Guardian - Tom Holland, the classical historian, stated that he has watched the film twice and called it "by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen."

USA Today - IndieWire Editor at Large Anne Thompson stated that "Matt Damon could win best actor and a bevy of supporting thesps and noms will follow."

USA Today - Los Angeles Times film editor Joshua Rothkopf described the movie as "staggering" and "pure cinema."

USA Today - Polygon Deputy Editor Jake Kleinman compared "The Odyssey" to Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy, noting its "epic scale and attention to detail."

The Guardian - Peter Bradshaw described "The Odyssey" as a "colossal origin-myth story of postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence witnessed by the dead."

The Guardian - Erik Davis noted that the film "feels like everything Nolan has been working toward with Imax has culminated here."

The Guardian - Davis highlighted that "the production design is incredible" and that "the action is breathtaking."

The Guardian - Tom Holland, the classical historian, stated that he has watched the film twice and called it "by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen."

The Guardian - "The Odyssey" is described as a three-hour version of Homer's epic poem.

The Guardian - Erik Davis called the film "an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great film-makers of our time."

The Guardian - Davis noted that the film embraces horror, with some of its biggest moments being genuinely unsettling.

The Guardian - Tom Holland, a classical historian, stated that "The Odyssey" is "by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen."

Screen Rant - Christopher Nolan has introduced a whole new genre to "The Odyssey," marking a major career first for him.

The Guardian - The film is described as a "colossal origin-myth story of postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence witnessed by the dead."

The Guardian - Critics have described the film as "flawless" and "breathtaking," with particular praise for Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Antinous.

The Guardian - The film was shot entirely using large-format IMAX film cameras and will also be screened in non-IMAX cinemas.

The Guardian - The film has an estimated budget of $250 million and needs to gross at least $500 million to break even.

USA Today - "The Odyssey" is a star-studded adaptation of the epic poem by Homer.

USA Today - Early reactions to "The Odyssey" describe it as "as epic as movies get" and a "colossal achievement of scale."

USA Today - The film is noted for having "some of the most breathtaking set pieces" Nolan has ever attempted.

USA Today - The film is described as "stunningly mounted" and is considered "the movie to beat" for best picture at the 2027 Oscars.

USA Today - The film features a "fleshed out horror sequence directed by Christopher Nolan."

USA Today - "The Odyssey" hits theaters on July 17.

WHERE:

USA Today - Screenings for "The Odyssey" began selling out a year in advance, with tickets for select IMAX showings going on sale in July 2025.

WHEN:

USA Today - "The Odyssey" is set to be released in theaters on July 17.

WHY:

The Guardian - The film's strong performance is attributed to a resurgence in cinema-going, bolstered by successful blockbusters like "Toy Story 5" and low-budget hits such as "Backrooms" and "Obsession."

Fox News - Christopher Nolan faces backlash over casting choices and historical inaccuracies in "The Odyssey."

USA Today - Anticipation for "The Odyssey" has been high since it was announced as Nolan's follow-up to "Oppenheimer," which grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide and won the Oscar for best picture.

HOW:

The Guardian - The film was shot entirely using large-format IMAX film cameras, although it will also be screened in non-IMAX cinemas.

USA Today - The film was shot entirely using large-format IMAX film cameras and will also be screened in non-IMAX cinemas.

USA Today - Tickets for "The Odyssey" were quickly snatched up in July 2025, before filming on the movie had even been completed.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 22:19 UTC)

"The Odyssey" is receiving widespread acclaim, with USA Today’s Jazz Tangcay calling it an "astonishing achievement" and a "triumphant, spectacular epic." Critics like Polygon's Jake Kleinman have noted that while it's Nolan's "most straightforward movie ever," it may also be his "most impressive," and The Guardian's Erik Davis highlighted the film's unique scale and unsettling horror elements, praising Robert Pattinson for his captivating performance. The film's success is attributed to a resurgence in cinema-going, fueled by popular blockbusters and was shot entirely using large-format IMAX film cameras, though it will also be available in non-IMAX theaters.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 21:18 UTC)

Critics are raving about "The Odyssey," with USA Today’s Matt Neglia calling it a "colossal achievement of scale" and highlighting its breathtaking set pieces, while The Guardian's Erik Davis describes it as "an absolute triumph" that showcases a scale unlike anything director Nolan has attempted before. Davis also points out the film's surprising horror influences, noting that some of its biggest moments are genuinely unsettling, and classical historian Tom Holland praised it as the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth he has ever seen after watching it twice. The film was shot entirely using large-format IMAX film cameras, although audiences will also have the option to see it in non-IMAX cinemas.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 16:28 UTC)

"The Odyssey" has been declared the movie "to beat" for best picture at the 2027 Oscars, according to IndieWire Editor-at-Large Anne Thompson. Critics are raving about the film, calling it "flawless" and "breathtaking," with special praise for Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Antinous and the incredible production design. However, Christopher Nolan is facing some backlash over casting choices and historical inaccuracies in this ambitious project, which was shot entirely using large-format IMAX film cameras and will also be screened in non-IMAX cinemas.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 13:27 UTC)

The highly anticipated film "The Odyssey" had its world premiere in London, where critics hailed it as "flawless" and "breathtaking," particularly praising Robert Pattinson's performance as Antinous. Erik Davis highlighted the film's embrace of horror, noting that some moments are genuinely unsettling, while IndieWire’s David Ehrlich found it to be “surprisingly natural” and “less despairing” than Nolan’s previous work, "Oppenheimer." However, the film has also faced backlash over casting choices and historical inaccuracies, as reported by Fox News.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 11:32 UTC)

Critics are raving about a new film, with IndieWire Editor-at-Large Anne Thompson expressing that her "high expectations were met" and calling it "stunningly mounted." The Guardian highlighted its "flawless" execution, particularly praising Robert Pattinson’s portrayal of Antinous, while Erik Davis noted the film's embrace of horror, delivering genuinely unsettling moments. Classical historian Tom Holland, who has watched the film twice, declared it "by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen," and it was shot entirely using large-format IMAX film cameras, with plans for screenings in non-IMAX cinemas as well.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 06:47 UTC)

Critics are raving about the new film "The Odyssey," with IndieWire's Anne Thompson suggesting that Matt Damon could be in line for a Best Actor win, along with numerous supporting nominations. The Los Angeles Times' Joshua Rothkopf described the movie as "staggering" and "pure cinema," while Polygon's Jake Kleinman compared its epic scale and attention to detail to Peter Jackson's "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Additionally, classical historian Tom Holland praised it as "by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen," after watching it twice.

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 05:54 UTC)

A new film adaptation of Homer's epic poem, titled "The Odyssey," has been released, running for three hours and receiving high praise from critics. Erik Davis described it as "an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement," while classical historian Tom Holland called it "by some way the best cinematic adaptation of a Greek myth I have ever seen." The film's success is being credited to a resurgence in cinema-going, fueled by popular blockbusters like "Toy Story 5" and successful low-budget films such as "Backrooms" and "Obsession."

(UPDATED July 8, 2026 02:55 UTC)

Christopher Nolan has made a significant leap in his career by introducing a new genre to "The Odyssey," which has been described as a colossal origin-myth story reflecting postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence seen through the eyes of the dead. Critics are raving about the film, calling it flawless and breathtaking, with special accolades for Robert Pattinson's performance as Antinous, and it was shot entirely using large-format IMAX film cameras. With an estimated budget of $250 million, the film needs to gross at least $500 million to break even, a target that seems achievable given the current resurgence in cinema attendance fueled by hits like "Toy Story 5" and low-budget successes such as "Backrooms" and "Obsession."

(UPDATED July 7, 2026 23:27 UTC)

Christopher Nolan's highly anticipated film "The Odyssey," an adaptation of Homer's epic poem, is set to hit theaters on July 17. Early reactions praise the movie as "as epic as movies get" and a "colossal achievement of scale," with some of the most breathtaking set pieces Nolan has ever attempted. Screenings began selling out a year in advance, and tickets for select IMAX showings were quickly snatched up even before filming was completed.