Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
Memento and The Prestige are the only movies of his I've enjoyed
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Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey - July 2026
- Thread starter EviLore
- Start date
Yeah. Nolan hasn’t made a bad movie yet, and is coming off one of his best, so I’m not going to say I’m worried. We still don’t know any details about the concept. Is it period, a modern reimagining, faithful, loose, scifi, etc. Could be anything. But I do think Nolan has a deep respect for the classics. It shows in his work, and he wanted to direct Troy/The Iliad previously.
He’s cashing in all of his prestige and credibility to do an epic that might be difficult to market, so casting multi-generational star power makes sense.
Fbh
Member
Cast is weird but I trust Nolan.
I don't love all of his movies but I've yet to see one I disliked.
Also please put at least a cover or something of one of the best metal song in the credits:
Or give them funding to rerecord it with a real orchestra so the orchestral parts don't sound like Ps1 era midi lol
I don't love all of his movies but I've yet to see one I disliked.
Also please put at least a cover or something of one of the best metal song in the credits:
Or give them funding to rerecord it with a real orchestra so the orchestral parts don't sound like Ps1 era midi lol
Nolan wouldn’t go hard R with a $300 million budget, would he? Anything’s possible after Oppenheimer I guess!Nudity confirmed.
And probably a long loooooooong single take on just her face as she slowly crumbles into madness and despair, which is her acting super power
Then why hire Mia Goth?
Doom85
Member
I heard it went down like this.
(Nolan is talking to an executive)
Nolan: So I’m thinking two shooting locations in this region, then maybe we-
(Mia walks into the room, a disturbing smile on her face and one of her eyes twitching with murderous intent)
Nolan: And then if need be, we can- (turns to see Mia) FUCK! HOLY SHIT! Mia, hey, sorry, I, uh, I didn’t even know you wanted to be in the movie, nobody tells me anything around here, but I’ve got a role for you, I might need to alter the script a tad, but you can totally be in the movie, no problem!
Mia: I’m sorry, what are-
Nolan: The shooting date, of course! In two months! I’ll have my people contact your people! Anything you want! I’ve got to go! Bye!
(Nolan knocks over several chairs in a panic to leave)
Mia (turns to executive): Sorry, I was getting into character for my next audition and I think I walked into the wrong room. What just happened?
Executive: You just got a role in the next Christopher Nolan film.
Mia: Oh nice. So with his name attached, maybe those chucklefucks at the Academy won’t ignore me when I absolutely kill it once again.
Executive: Kill?! NO, please don’t kill me!
Mia: No, “kill it” as in nailing my performance.
Executive: Oh, heh heh, of course.
SlimySnake
Flashless at the Golden Globes
He's smart. He got Harry Styles to get the female audience in a movie with zero female characters. He couldve included a forced romance like most directors do for world war movies, but he stayed true to the material (the beach evacuation) and simply used the cast to bring in a younger audience.
Oppenheimer only cost a $100 million and im pretty sure he took the rating into account when budgeting the movie. He loves making these big movies and is using all the goodwill he's built up with Universal to create his magnum opus. i just wish it was an adaptation of The Illiad instead of the Odyssey, it's much more epic.
I am a big fan of Troy despite everyone hating it so maybe thats why he doesnt want to remake it so soon.
Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
Its a shame she gets overlooked because her roles are in horror movies. I was terrified of her in Pearl.
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She's gonna act rings around Zendaya for sure. Charlize and Anne can bring it but Zen has like two speeds; sullen pouty and grade school production level tantrum. I'm struggling to recall Lupita in anything but we'll see. Damon doesn't 'feel' historical to me, he always seems like a contemporary guy from Boston. That bit o'casting is curious. Tom as a wide eyed 30 year old boy awaiting his dad feels off as well. Of course that whole part of the Odyssey is a little weird, Telemachus is a grown ass man at that point and Penelope is probably deep into her 40's (guess she could still be a MILFY 30 something if Odysseus got her young) so the whole suitor thing felt odd. Maybe I just gotta find better translations that set it up in a more understandable way.
Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
Can't wait for John Leguizamo to play John Leguizamo. I might watch this on account of it being The Odyssey and not one of his up his own ass films like Interstellar or Inception. I'm not a fan as you probably surmised.
DeepEnigma
Gold Member
I really, really, really want to have excitement for this. He has his portfolio that speaks for itself, the movie plot/theme is a great matchup… but that casting has me very, very suspect of it all.
But with that said, he will probably bring out broader talent in these actors they didn’t realize they had.
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RJMacready73
Simps for Amouranth
Dark Knight Rises and Tenet I'd say where pretty poor, Rises had some great scenes as do all his movies but there was some really stupid shit and decisions made in that movie and coming off the back of the absolute classic Dark Knight it really pales in comparison, as for Tenet.. I dunno, I don't think he pulled it off, the action scenes where pretty standard and the whole backwards time thing was too bloody confusing on first watch, Oppenheimer was just OK, well acted but a bit boring and I was really underwhelmed at the actual detonation
DKehoe
Member
Yeh some are perhaps surprising choices for a Greek epic. But he's probably got the most creative freedom of any director at the moment so I don't see him getting forced into any casting decisions he's not comfortable with. Like you say, he must see them as having what he needs and at this point in Nolan we trust.
This should be cool if true.
Apocryphon
Member
The rumours of it being about police helicopter pilots weren’t true?
NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt
Biggest Trails Stan
DKehoe
Member
Nice, I had missed it when it came out. But I read a bunch of people talking about it because of Nosferatu and so it's now one I want to watch when I get a chance.
NotMyProblemAnymoreCunt
Biggest Trails Stan
I'm hoping it looks good because practical effects just like CGI can look bad or good depending on how much effort is put into it
BattleScar
Member
You realise that he's still extremely jacked right? Just not roidmaxxed.You seen him lately?
I asked ChatGPT to determine the best roles for the actors attached to the film.
—————
Below is one possible dream team allocation of the listed actors to major characters in Homer’s Odyssey, imagining Christopher Nolan’s inventive, large-scale adaptation. The guiding idea is to balance each performer’s strengths (dramatic range, physicality, presence) with the thematic needs of the roles and the overall ensemble.
Odysseus - Matt Damon
Reasoning: Odysseus is famously complex—heroic and brave but also deeply cunning, conflicted, and somewhat jaded by endless wanderings. Damon brings the gravitas, grounded humanity, and intelligence suited to a character who must outwit gods, monsters, and men. He also has a proven track record with Christopher Nolan (Interstellar).
Penelope - Anne Hathaway
Reasoning: Penelope is Odysseus’s loyal, resourceful wife, maintaining a fierce hope and strategic guile while her husband is gone. Hathaway can project warmth, resilience, and nuanced emotional depth—perfect for Penelope’s quiet but potent presence at the heart of Ithaca.
Telemachus - Tom Holland
Reasoning: Young Telemachus is on the cusp of manhood, determined to defend his mother and reclaim his father’s legacy but uncertain how. Holland’s youthful sincerity, energy, and flair for earnest coming-of-age roles make him a natural choice to portray the son stepping into Odysseus’s shadow.
Athena - Lupita Nyongo
Reasoning: Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, is Odysseus’s patron and protector. Nyong’o can embody a regal, empathetic presence with effortless authority—precisely what’s required of the deity guiding our hero from the divine plane. Her voice and bearing would lend an otherworldly gravitas.
Poseidon - Robert Pattinson
Reasoning: While Pattinson often excels at introspective or enigmatic roles, he can also radiate danger and unpredictability. As the wrathful sea-god relentlessly punishing Odysseus, Poseidon needs both aloof grandeur and terrifying menace. Pattinson’s capability to shift between suave detachment and fierce intensity fits perfectly.
Circe - Charlize Theron
Reasoning: Circe is a powerful sorceress who ensnares Odysseus and his men, a figure of both seductive allure and formidable supernatural ability. Theron’s capacity to play commanding, mysterious, and often morally ambiguous characters (e.g., Mad Max: Fury Road, Snow White and the Huntsman) would infuse Circe with magnetic danger and regal poise.
Calypso - Zendaya
Reasoning: Calypso imprisons Odysseus on her island for years, in a more languid, dreamy captivity than Circe’s immediate threat. Zendaya’s serene yet haunting charisma would make her a mesmerizing immortal host, capable of showing both the tenderness of longing for a mortal and the quiet heartbreak when he departs.
Polyphemus (the Cyclops) - Jon Bernthal
Reasoning: The Cyclops scene is one of the most famous in The Odyssey, requiring raw physical menace. Bernthal’s imposing presence, intensity, and ability to convey primal danger (balanced with a hint of pitiable loneliness) would bring Polyphemus to life. Even via performance capture or prosthetics, he’d leave a major impact.
Hermes - Elliot Page
Reasoning: Hermes is the messenger of the gods—a swift, clever figure who intercedes with mortals (warning Odysseus about Circe, carrying messages from Zeus, etc.). Page’s quick-witted energy, warmth, and ability to play wry or gently mischievous characters align neatly with Hermes’ swift and witty style.
Eumaeus (the loyal swineherd) - John Leguizamo
Reasoning: Eumaeus remains steadfastly devoted to Odysseus throughout his absence. Leguizamo’s earthy charm, empathy, and ability to deliver humor or poignancy in equal measure will capture the swineherd’s importance as one of the hero’s most loyal allies in Ithaca.
Aeolus (Keeper of the Winds) - Benny Safdie
Reasoning: Aeolus is a somewhat eccentric and ambiguous figure—generous one moment, quick to cast travelers out the next. Safdie, known for offbeat, subtly tense performances (and for co-directing/acting in unpredictably charged narratives), could bring an intriguing, mercurial touch to the “Master of Winds.â€
Nausicaa - Mia Goth
Reasoning: Nausicaa, the Phaeacian princess who discovers Odysseus shipwrecked on the beach, has a delicate mixture of innocence, curiosity, and quiet courage. Mia Goth, with her ability to convey both ethereal vulnerability and strong will (as seen in her varied indie/horror roles), would bring Nausicaa’s graceful curiosity and empathy to vivid life.
—————
—————
Below is one possible dream team allocation of the listed actors to major characters in Homer’s Odyssey, imagining Christopher Nolan’s inventive, large-scale adaptation. The guiding idea is to balance each performer’s strengths (dramatic range, physicality, presence) with the thematic needs of the roles and the overall ensemble.
Odysseus - Matt Damon
Reasoning: Odysseus is famously complex—heroic and brave but also deeply cunning, conflicted, and somewhat jaded by endless wanderings. Damon brings the gravitas, grounded humanity, and intelligence suited to a character who must outwit gods, monsters, and men. He also has a proven track record with Christopher Nolan (Interstellar).
Penelope - Anne Hathaway
Reasoning: Penelope is Odysseus’s loyal, resourceful wife, maintaining a fierce hope and strategic guile while her husband is gone. Hathaway can project warmth, resilience, and nuanced emotional depth—perfect for Penelope’s quiet but potent presence at the heart of Ithaca.
Telemachus - Tom Holland
Reasoning: Young Telemachus is on the cusp of manhood, determined to defend his mother and reclaim his father’s legacy but uncertain how. Holland’s youthful sincerity, energy, and flair for earnest coming-of-age roles make him a natural choice to portray the son stepping into Odysseus’s shadow.
Athena - Lupita Nyongo
Reasoning: Athena, goddess of wisdom and war, is Odysseus’s patron and protector. Nyong’o can embody a regal, empathetic presence with effortless authority—precisely what’s required of the deity guiding our hero from the divine plane. Her voice and bearing would lend an otherworldly gravitas.
Poseidon - Robert Pattinson
Reasoning: While Pattinson often excels at introspective or enigmatic roles, he can also radiate danger and unpredictability. As the wrathful sea-god relentlessly punishing Odysseus, Poseidon needs both aloof grandeur and terrifying menace. Pattinson’s capability to shift between suave detachment and fierce intensity fits perfectly.
Circe - Charlize Theron
Reasoning: Circe is a powerful sorceress who ensnares Odysseus and his men, a figure of both seductive allure and formidable supernatural ability. Theron’s capacity to play commanding, mysterious, and often morally ambiguous characters (e.g., Mad Max: Fury Road, Snow White and the Huntsman) would infuse Circe with magnetic danger and regal poise.
Calypso - Zendaya
Reasoning: Calypso imprisons Odysseus on her island for years, in a more languid, dreamy captivity than Circe’s immediate threat. Zendaya’s serene yet haunting charisma would make her a mesmerizing immortal host, capable of showing both the tenderness of longing for a mortal and the quiet heartbreak when he departs.
Polyphemus (the Cyclops) - Jon Bernthal
Reasoning: The Cyclops scene is one of the most famous in The Odyssey, requiring raw physical menace. Bernthal’s imposing presence, intensity, and ability to convey primal danger (balanced with a hint of pitiable loneliness) would bring Polyphemus to life. Even via performance capture or prosthetics, he’d leave a major impact.
Hermes - Elliot Page
Reasoning: Hermes is the messenger of the gods—a swift, clever figure who intercedes with mortals (warning Odysseus about Circe, carrying messages from Zeus, etc.). Page’s quick-witted energy, warmth, and ability to play wry or gently mischievous characters align neatly with Hermes’ swift and witty style.
Eumaeus (the loyal swineherd) - John Leguizamo
Reasoning: Eumaeus remains steadfastly devoted to Odysseus throughout his absence. Leguizamo’s earthy charm, empathy, and ability to deliver humor or poignancy in equal measure will capture the swineherd’s importance as one of the hero’s most loyal allies in Ithaca.
Aeolus (Keeper of the Winds) - Benny Safdie
Reasoning: Aeolus is a somewhat eccentric and ambiguous figure—generous one moment, quick to cast travelers out the next. Safdie, known for offbeat, subtly tense performances (and for co-directing/acting in unpredictably charged narratives), could bring an intriguing, mercurial touch to the “Master of Winds.â€
Nausicaa - Mia Goth
Reasoning: Nausicaa, the Phaeacian princess who discovers Odysseus shipwrecked on the beach, has a delicate mixture of innocence, curiosity, and quiet courage. Mia Goth, with her ability to convey both ethereal vulnerability and strong will (as seen in her varied indie/horror roles), would bring Nausicaa’s graceful curiosity and empathy to vivid life.
—————
Miyazaki’s Slave
Gold Member
I would totally be a sailor that gets ripped in half by Charybdis...fuck I'll stand in as chum barrel on the deck of the ship!
AJUMP23
Parody of actual AJUMP23
Not worthy to string the bow.
Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
That pic is almost as bad as the Superman putting on his boots pic
Shaki12345
Member
Hiring Matt Damon as Odysseus is way too distracting. How about hiring the right actor for the right role? Armand Assante was perfect back in the day.
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AJUMP23
Parody of actual AJUMP23
Hire an unknown or something.
Now we got a guy from Boston playing a Greek hero. I thought people had to identify as these things to get these jobs.
Shaki12345
Member
He ain't even that good of an actor. I mostly always see Matt Damon instead of the character.
AJUMP23
Parody of actual AJUMP23
Hey clopsy you like Apples? I got Calypso's number, how bout them apples
Shaki12345
Member
Lol. His best role was Team America World Police.
freefornow
Member
Please not Zendaya!
Stop trying to make her a thing.
Stop trying to make her a thing.
Days like these...
Have a Blessed Day
Why is this guy so shit at casting?
Should have cast Arnold Schwarzeneggar. Plenty of deage cgi material to use and I just want him to mangle greek names.
Ahhh, ahh, telemachus, it is I, Odeezeus! I told you I'll be back! Everyone, get to dah Trireme!
AJUMP23
Parody of actual AJUMP23
SJRB
Gold Member
Matt Damon as Odysseus is just deeply unserious.
calistan
Member
The helmet made of boar tusks Odysseus wore in the Iliad (type recently discovered by archaeologists):
Some examples of more period accurate Mycenaean Greek armor
Artistic impression of Odysseus in light gear
Original Mycenaean Dendra armor:
My bathtime reading at the moment is a fairly recent translation of the Iliad and the Odyssey by Peter Green, and he makes some interesting points about historical accuracy.
The main thing is that these stories had been passed down orally for five centuries before they were committed to writing, so there are a lot of anachronistic elements in the books. Things like the type of weapons used, and particularly the use of chariots for sport rather than as a main instrument of battle (apparently that would have been a big thing 500 years before Homer).
"Natural additions made by rhapsodes to bring their tales into line with what a changing audience knew or expected."
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Yes, that’s my understanding as well. You can see the same thing in action in Ancient Greek art, like this red Attic cup showing Odysseus with a Corinthian era helmet:
So the story does get reinterpreted through the ages, both in the process of being codified through Homer and after as well. But we can roughly place its origins and we have archaeological evidence for the events of the Iliad et al. And even without that and only going by Homer’s descriptions, it’s quite clear that our heroes had gleaming golden bronze armor. The elaborate bronze armor sets are very striking in The Iliad especially, with the armies fighting over possession of them after a legendary warrior falls in battle.
Kilau
Member
The “modern audiences” of antiquity, hot damn.
calistan
Member
Culture wars are as old as history itself!
DeafTourette
Perpetually Offended
(Achaeans at the gates of Troy by Giuseppe Rava)
Maybe Nolan thinks it would be box office poison to go for a proper Bronze Age vision. With LotR-level attention to detail and care though it would be watched for 100 years.
I think general audiences wouldn't think those designs were what they THINK of as ancient Greek/Roman designs in that time period. Some of them look, what would appear to general audiences, Indian or Chinese. Not Greek/Roman