Oscar-winning directorChristopher Nolan’s upcoming swords-and-sandals fantasy epicThe Odysseyboasts one of the most all-star casts of all time, and we now have a new look at two of the lead actors:Matt DamonandTom Holland. Pictured in character on set, Damon sports a great, big, bushy beard and looks fighting fit as he films a scene in Favignana in southern Italy.
Damon, who will lead The Odyssey as Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, was seen filming alongsideEuphoriaandSpider-Man: No Way Homestar Zendaya (via People), who is rumored to be playing the goddess Athena in Nolan’s highly anticipated adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem.
Best Movies About Greek Mythology, Ranked
Greek mythology has been inspiring stories in film for decades. Here are the best, from Clash of the Titans to the Percy Jackson franchise.
The Odysseymarks Nolan’s first foray into full-on fantasy, with the movie retelling the story of Odysseus’ ten-yearjourney home following the Trojan War, which sees the warrior king facing a cyclops, Sirens, a witch goddess, and more as he fights to be reunited with his wife and son.
Tom Holland Cuts a Heroic Figure in New Look at ‘The Odyssey’
Speaking of which, MCU star Tom Holland will play Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, inThe Odyssey, and was also spotted sporting full armor while filming a scene alongsideSons of Anarchystar Ryan Hurst (also via People). Suited up in an armored chest plate and arm guards, Holland cuts a heroic figure as he stands among soldiers during filming in Favignana, Italy.
The images certainly tease the epic scope anddedication to practical setsthat Christopher Nolan, who has become known for such things, will once again apply to his adaptation ofThe Odyssey. The fantasy story marks a change of pace for the filmmaker,who is best recognizedfor action movies such asThe Dark Knight, Inception,andTenet, sci-fi stories such asInterstellarandThe Prestige, the WWII movieDunkirk, and the biographical thrillerOppenheimer, which won the director his first Academy Award.
Alongside Matt Damon, Tom Holland, and Zendaya,The Odysseyalso stars Anne Hathaway (Interstellar, The Dark Knight Rises) as Odysseus' wife, Penelope; Charlize Theron (Monster, Mad Max: Fury Road) as the sorceress Circe; Benny Safdie (Good Time, Oppenheimer) as Agamemnon; and Lupita Nyong’o (Black Panther, A Quiet Place: Day One) as Clytemnestra. However, these character detailshave not yet been officially confirmed. The rest of the huge cast of A-listers also includes Robert Pattinson (The Batman), Elliot Page (Inception), Mia Goth (X, Pearl), Corey Hawkins (Straight Outta Compton), Jon Bernthal (The Punisher), Cosmo Jarvis (Shōgun), Himesh Patel (Tenet), Samantha Morton (Minority Report), John Leguizamo (Encanto), Will Yun Lee (The Wolverine), and, believe it or not, more.
Despite the epic scope and massive ensemble cast of some of the biggest talents in Hollywood,John Leguizamo recently revealedthat Christopher Nolan is somehow still running The Odyssey “like an indie film.”
“You know the thing is… he’s got a crazy budget, it’s not small, but he runs it like an indie film. Because he’s not doing it by committee, he’s not doing it by what the studio says. He’s like an indie filmmaker, but with crazy money.”
The Odysseyis due to land in theaters on August 25, 2025.
