- The Odyssey is the next movie project from Christopher Nolan
- Many big box office names are already attached to the movie
- Filming is set to begin later this year
Anticipation is high for Christopher Nolan’s next blockbuster – his take on Homer’s epic The Odyssey – and the cast announced so far only adds to it.
After the success of atomic bomb drama Oppenheimer in 2023, there are naturally high levels of expectation for what director Nolan will do next. When he announced that it was to be his take on Homer’s epic The Odyssey, this only grew.
Read more: All we know about Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey
Since then, Nolan has been busy putting elements of the movie together, including plans to shoot some of The Odyssey on ‘goat island’, which was where Homer originally set some of the action.
Below, you’ll find everything we know so far about the cast of Nolan’s latest epic…
The Odyssey cast
There has also been activity around casting for the movie, and a stellar list of stars are now attached to the project, although as yet their roles have not been revealed.
But here is who is on board for The Odyssey so far:
Matt Damon: One of Hollywood’s most bankable stars, Damon was the first name to be confirmed. Star of the Bourne and Ocean franchises, Damon has worked with Nolan before, notably on Oppenheimer.
We got our first look at Damon in character as Odysseus in late February 2025. Check it out below:
Matt Damon is Odysseus. A film by Christopher Nolan, #TheOdysseyMovie is in theaters July 17, 2026. pic.twitter.com/7a5YbfqVfG
— odysseymovie (@odysseymovie) February 17, 2025
Tom Holland: The star of the most recent trilogy of Spider-Man movies – and who is also working on Spider-Man 4 – was another of the first names confirmed for The Odyssey.
Zendaya: Soon after Holland was confirmed, so was his real-life partner, Zendaya. Zendaya has also starred in the Spider-Man films, and more recently has been in hit films such as Dune and Dune: Part Two and Challengers, which have catapulted her into the Hollywood A-list.
Anne Hathaway: Another who has history working with Nolan – in 2014’s Interstellar – Hathaway is another huge name to join the project. A star for more than 20 years, having had her big break in 2001’s The Princess Diaries. Since then she has starred in a string of hit films, including The Devil Wears Prada and, more recently, The Idea of You.
Lupita Nyong’o: Nyong’o began her career as a production assistant, before starring in a Kenyan TV series from 2009-12. Her Hollywood break came in 2013 when she played Patsey in 12 Years a Slave – for which she won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar. Since then she has played a variety of roles, including Nakia in the Black Panther films and as Samira in 2024’s A Quiet Place: Day One.
Robert Pattinson: Pattinson first came to widespread attention for playing Edward in the Twilight films from 2008-12. Since then, he has gone on to build up a successful Hollywood career, including roles in Tenet, another Nolan film. He also plays Bruce Wayne/Batman currently – although it is in parallel to James Gunn’s upcoming reboot of the DC Universe.
Charlize Theron: Another Hollywood heavyweight, Theron has been a star for more than 25 years. She first came to prominence in films like The Devil’s Advocate (1997) and The Cider House Rules (1999). In 2003, she won the Best Actress Oscar for her role as serial killer Eileen Wuornos in Monster. Since then, she has starred in many films, including the most recent three Fast & Furious films, Mad Max: Fury Road (2015) and Long Shot (2019).
Jon Bernthal: Bernthal is probably best known for his work in The Walking Dead as Shane Walsh. He is also known for playing Frank Castle/The Punisher in Daredevil and his own spinoff series The Punisher. He is reprising the role in Daredevil: Born Again, which comes out later this year. Here is everything we know about Daredevil: Born Again.
Benny Safdie: Another who has worked with Nolan before, in this case on Oppenheimer, in which he played Hungarian theoretical physicist Edward Teller. Alongside his acting work, Safdie is also a writer and director. He directed Uncut gems in 2019 and co-created, co-wrote and starred in The Curse in 2023.
John Leguizamo: Leguizamo has been a fixture in Hollywood for more than 30 years, and has appeared in numerous iconic films – just not necessarily in a starring role – such as Romeo + Juliet (1996), Moulin Rouge! (2001) and the first two John Wick movies. He is also know for his voice work, including as Sid the Sloth in the Ice Age franchise and as Bruno Madrigal in Encanto (2001) (but we don’t talk about that).
Elliot Page: Another to have worked with Nolan in the past – in his case, Inception – Page has also signed on. Page has recently been seen in movies such as Close to You and starring in the Netflix series The Umbrella Academy from 2019-24.
Samantha Morton: English actor Morton has appeared in numerous films over the past 25 years. She has been in blockbusters such as 2016’s Fantastic Beats and Where to Find Them, but has also been in many smaller, independent films such as Morvern Callar (2002). Over the years, she has been nominated twice for an Oscar – as Best Supporting Actress for 1999’s Sweet and Lowdown and Best Actress for 2003’s In America.
Bill Irwin: Veteran actor Irwin has had a long career, but is more regarded for his TV and theater work than his movie work. On TV, he was known to generations of children as Mr Noodle in the Elmo’s World section on Sesame Street. In movies, he played Anne Hathaway’s character’s father in Rachel Getting Married in 2008 and Mr Leeds in 2006 thriller Lady in the Water.
Himesh Patel: Patel, who made his name in UK soap Eastenders, has had numerous movie credits in recent years, including starring in Yesterday (2019) and Don’t Look Up in 2021.
Mia Goth: In late February 2025, Mia Goth was added to the cast. Goth has carved out a varied career as an alluring actor that can juggle drama and horror. Audiences likely know her best from Ti West’s X trilogy and David Cronenberg’s psychological horror Infinity Pool. Her role in The Odyssey is currently under wraps.
Who else is starring in The Odyssey?
In addition to the names listed above, Nolan has also recruited Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee, Rafi Gavron, Shiloh Fernandez, Corey Hawkins, Nick E. Tarabay, Jimmy Gonzales and Maurice Compte for additional roles. Unfortunately, we don’t have any details on who they’re playing.
