The Odyssey gets a six-minute IMAX-70 mm prologue - first look arrives this weekend

The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan's forthcoming directorial venture. The film is written by Nolan, who has also co-produced it with Emma Thomas. Universal Pictures will be releasing it on July 17, 2026. Here's the official synopsis as per Letterboxd:

Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, embarks on a long and perilous journey home following the Trojan War, chronicling his encounters with mythical beings such as the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe.

The makers will release a six-minute prologue from the film in the theatres at 70mm IMAX screens. Let's get into the details.

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey to get a six-minute prologue

The makers of The Odyssey will release a six-minute prologue on December 12, 2025, Variety reported. This will be shown on the IMAX 70mm screens during the re-releases of One Battle After Another and Sinners. The prologue will continue to play on the big screens before the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash. From December 19, a short trailer of the film will also play out ahead of Avatar 3.

The Odyssey is the first film to be entirely shot on IMAX cameras. Earlier, a short footage from the movie was attached to the prints of Superman and Jurassic World Rebirth. The film is adapted from Homer's Greek epic, The Odyssey, and will focus on the namesake protagonist who tries to reunite with his wife after the Trojan War. It's made on a $250 million budget, making it the most expensive film of Nolan's career. Hoyte van Hoytema shoots the film, while Jennifer Lame is the editor. Ludwig Göransson has composed the music.

Its cast members include,

Matt Damon as Odysseus
Tom Holland as Telemachus
Anne Hathaway as Penelope
John Leguizamo as Eumaeus
Zendaya as Athena
Mia Goth as Melantho
Lupita Nyong'o
Robert Pattinson as Antinous
Charlize Theron as Circe
Jon Bernthal as Menelaus
Himesh Patel as Odysseus's shipmates
Will Yun Lee as Odysseus's shipmates

Nolan's earlier film Oppenheimer was partly shot on IMAX cameras. He has been experimenting with this format since 2008's The Dark Knight, where he shot certain scenes. The 2023 film was based on theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and the Manhattan Project that resulted in the creation of the world's first nuclear weapons.