Set to release in 2026, The Odyssey is being hyped as one of Christopher Nolan’s most ambitious projects to date. The director himself has said that he will push the boundaries in ways he has never done before, and while details have been kept under wraps, recent images prove the film feature his legendary production style. James Remar, one of the many Hollywood legends working on the film, has talked about making The Odyssey and the experience of being on the set of one of the industry’s most determined directors.
Talking with The Hollywood Reporter for a red carpet event, Remar shared the details of making the highly anticipated film based on the Greek poem by Homer. The actor is currently promoting his show All’s Fair (he has also appeared in the Stephen King prequel, It: Welcome to Derry), but Nolan’s film is far too important to leave out of the conversation. When asked how it was to reunite with Nolan after Oppenheimer, Remar says, “It was all that much better.” He continues, saying that COVID-19 was a major factor during the development of the Oscar-winning movie: “The first time I auditioned for him was during COVID, and I had to test before we all met. Eventually, we got to meet without masks on the Universal lot, which is how he does it. He shoots film through a camera, not digital.”
Remar stars in The Odyssey alongside Oppenheimer‘s Matt Damon, as well as major stars like Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, and Robert Pattinson. When talking about his reunion with Damon, Remar offers a few details about working with Nolan on a set that is thoroughly controlled by the visionary director:
“Well, I worked opposite Matt Damon again. We were opposite each other in Oppenheimer, so it was familiar. It was just like, ‘Hey, buddy, welcome back from summer vacation’ for a couple of the guys that felt like we went to school together.
“It was very collegial, very familiar, very much like a family. Everybody who was there offered everyone else a great deal of respect. It’s a very respectful, well-assembled cast. No silliness to speak of. Everyone was focused on the task at hand, because he comes with a vision and every brush stroke of his vision is important. There are no hijinks. No fooling around. Nobody’s asleep. Nobody’s drunk. Nobody’s f*cked up, pardon my language. Everyone was very, very concentrated on being the absolute best they could be.”
Christopher Nolan Won’t Rest Until He Gets What He Wants
The $250-million movie is the most expensive Nolan has ever made. Not only is he famous for heavily relying on practical effects, but this time he went further in terms of visuals. The Odyssey is his first movie to be shot on IMAX 70 mm cameras.
Remar talked about the way people behaved on the set, and apparently, you’re expected to have the utmost respect for what’s happening at every moment. The actor, however, also described Nolan’s behavior and it’s not exactly a surprise:
“No cell phones on set, and the man never sits down. He stands next to the camera for every single shot. He did that in Iceland too. We were on the beach shooting in Iceland; I never saw him sit down once for 12 hours out there. Every single day. It was freezing. Everybody was freezing.”
- Release Date
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July 17, 2026
- Producers
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Emma Thomas