Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is among the most-anticipated movies of 2026, with a planned release for July 2022. Following the cultural phenomenon of Oppenheimer, Nolan’s popularity and unique reputation for making box office juggernauts out of non-franchise titles are at an all-time high, leading to The Odyssey IMAX 70mm tickets selling out a year in advance.
The Odyssey is an ancient work of epic poetry attributed to Homer. Following the events of The Iliad, which brought gods and mortals into conflict for the Trojan War, The Odyssey follows Odysseus, a Greek king who spent ten years fighting in the war, on his equally lengthy, perilous journey home. Simultaneously, Odysseus’ wife, Penelope, and son, Telemachus, fend off suitors who seek to wed Penelope, believing Odysseus to be dead.
With such a foundational story comes the challenge of assigning faces to some of the most prevalent names in literature and global culture. Assigning an actor to characters like Odysseus and Circe is a few steps below personifying bread or the wheel. The names and traits of these characters are rooted much more deeply into the cultural and practical world than most audiences realize, and that comes with a hefty responsibility. With that in mind, it’s worth exploring what the perception of each character is intended to be in the poem and other works in the Epic Cycle.
Confirmed Actors in ‘The Odyssey’
Matt Damon as Odysseus
As of now, not all of The Odyssey’s characters have been confirmed, and, aside from a few standouts, audiences will have to guess regarding which stars from the stacked cast are playing which characters. The most notable star is Matt Damon, and he’s the only actor audiences have actually seen a proper glimpse of in character. Damon plays Odysseus, the aforementioned Greek king.
Odysseus is known in mythology for being a wise, clever king. His valor and strength in battle are documented, but his standout achievement in the war was the idea for the Trojan Horse. His greatest flaw, which is often the cause of his own hurdles, is hubris. Damon is primarily known for his work playing distinctly American characters, but his role in The Last Duel proves he has the chops for a period epic.
Tom Holland as Telemachus
Tom Holland is another star confirmed by The Odyssey’s teaser trailer, which came out in theaters only in July 2025. The 29-year-old British actor hasn’t found a ton of success outside Spider-Man in the MCU, making his crucial role in Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster a potentially pivotal performance for him.
Telemachus is the son of Odysseus, who has essentially grown up in the shadow of his father’s legacy despite never knowing him. He seeks to defend his mother and possesses a generally good heart and courage, yet lacks Odysseus’s strength and authority. Holland, an actor known for playing a youthful but naive hero, could be excellent in this role.
Charlize Theron as Circe
Charlize Theron confirmed her role as Circe in The Odyssey, bringing one of the film’s antagonists to life. Circe is depicted as a goddess and witch who wields her magic to turn enemies into pigs. She becomes a host to Odysseus for over a year, but is widely considered an obstacle in his journey. Recent fictional depictions of this character, including Madeline Miller’s book, Circe, paint her in a more complex light, humanizing the often-harshly portrayed figure. For a character like Circe, it’d be difficult to think of a more capable actress than Charlize Theron.
Pairing Casted Actors With The Other Characters in ‘The Odyssey’
Semi-Confirmed Roles
A Greek media outlet documenting the production revealed the roles of four other actors (via OneMan); however, these are yet to be confirmed by Universal.
- Anne Hathaway as Penelope – Anne Hathaway is the star of films like The Devil Wears Prada and Christopher Nolan’s Interstellar and The Dark Knight Rises. She seems perfectly fit for the role of Penelope, the dignified, clever wife of Odysseus.
- Benny Safdie as Agamemnon: Reuniting with Christopher Nolan after Oppenheimer, filmmaker and actor Benny Safdie will reportedly play Agamemnon, one of the most storied kings of Ancient Greek mythology. Agamemnon led the Greeks into the Trojan War, but was killed by his wife, Clytemnestra, upon his return. Odysseus meets Agamemnon’s spirit in the Underworld.
- Lupita Nyong’o as Clytemnestra: Clytemnestra is the wife of Agamemnon, who, during the war, took a lover named Aegisthus. After learning that Agamemnon sacrificed their daughter, she conspired to kill him upon his return. This act of defiance has made her a favorite among readers, which is likely why the beloved Lupita Nyong’o is likely to play the character.
- Zendaya as Athena: The final actor who has a semi-confirmed role is Zendaya. Having the ultra-talented young movie star on the roster adds box office potential for The Odyssey, but the actress may only play a brief supporting role. That said, it’s likely to be an unforgettable one. The Goddess Athena is one of Odysseus’s greatest supporters in the tale, and she’s also one of the most intelligent, admirable figures in Greek mythology.
Guesses For The Rest Of ‘The Odyssey’ Cast
- Bill Irwin as Laertes – As the senior-most actor in The Odyssey’s cast, Bill Irwin seems all but guaranteed to be playing Laertes, the father of Odysseus. Laertes suffers in his son’s absence, succumbing to age at a farm in Ithaca.
- Samantha Morton as Anticleia: Veteran actress and multi-Academy Award nominee Samantha Morton seems like the most likely star to play the spirit of Anticleia, Odysseus’s mother. Odysseus meets Anticleia in the Underworld, where she reveals that she has died in his absence, grieving for the son she thought to be dead.
- Jon Bernthal as Eurylochus: Anyone who’s seen The Walking Dead knows that Jon Bernthal is the best option available for the right-hand man who’s sort of a problem. Eurylochus is Odysseus’s second-in-command, who is rather abrasive and stirs up problems in The Odyssey.
- Odyseus’s Crewmates: Several male actors have been cast in various roles, and they’ll likely be playing the minor crew members on Odysseus’s ship or other suitors to Penelope. This includes Nick E. Tarabay, Maurice Compte, Logan Marshall-Green, Will Yun Lee, and more.
- Mia Goth as Calypso: Mia Goth is one of Hollywood’s most recognizable young scream queens, best known for her work in the X trilogy. It seems likely that she’d play the nymph who keeps Odysseus on her island for seven years, and who is portrayed as an antagonist in The Odyssey.
- Corey Hawkins as Hermes: Corey Hawkins only has a minor role in The Odyssey, so it seems possible he’ll be playing a character like Hermes. Hermes is the herald/messenger god known for delivering news around the Greek world with his winged sandals.
- John Leguizamo as Eumaeus: Eumaeus is one of Odysseus’s few allies back in Ithaca who seeks to protect Penelope and Telemachus. For that reason, John Leguizamo seems like a likely option, as he’s one of the few male actors in the age range to have been Odysseus’s friend prior to him leaving for the Trojan War. The veteran actor is known for roles in films like Romeo + Juliet.
- Robert Pattinson as Antinous: Robert Pattinson is a massive star, making the curiosity regarding his role a major X-factor for The Odyssey. Antinous is the most vile of Penelope’s suitors, a role that would be perfect for an actor like Pattinson to sink his teeth into, yet brief enough not to interfere with his schedule.
Other actors for The Odyssey include Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Josh Stewart, Ryan Hurst, Jesse Garcia, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Jimmy Gonzales, Michael Vlamis, Iddo Goldberg, and Anthony Molinari.
- Release Date
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July 17, 2026
- Producers
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Emma Thomas