I love good Christopher Nolan blockbusters and I love Greek classics. My only reservation regarding The Odyssey is it that I haven’t seen Matt Damon hold a Hollywood blockbuster in more than a decade. First reactions from the first screenings of the latest epic of the Oppenheimer The director, however, suggests that the film will not disappoint.
The Odyssey premiered on July 6 in London and is scheduled for full theatrical release on July 17. IMAX tickets were already impossible to get. Regular screenings could also start to fill up quickly. Full reviews of the film starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, John Leguizamo, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o and more are yet to be released, but we have first impressions from reviews circulating on social media today.
Many have praised the acting performances across the board, including Damon’s, but it’s the scale and detail that makes most of them gush. The film apparently contains the first “fleshed out horror sequence” Nolan ever directed, according to Aaron Crouch of the Hollywood Reporter, and its thoroughness has been compared to Lord of the Rings by Jacob Kleinman of Polygon. David Ehrlich of Indie Wire called it “too clunky to be an S-grade Nolan”, but said it wasn’t as depressing as Oppenheimer.
Even if not everyone calls The Odyssey perfect, the response so far seems to be about as positive as one would expect for a big budget summer movie. That’s not to say it’ll be as good as the initial buzz suggests, but it’s certainly not a bad sign. My own IMAX ticket isn’t available until a week after full release. I’m ready to go through another half dozen cycles, it’s so over/we’re so back by then.
Here are some of the initial reactions:
I’ve been seeing his films in theaters since Memento, and after 25 years, #TheOdyssey offers us a first: a fleshed-out horror sequence directed by Christopher Nolan
– Aaron Couch (@AaronCouch) July 6, 2026
I’m not an influencer, just a humble interviewer. I will say this about The Odyssey: it is an astonishing spectacle and a brilliant, subversive adaptation. The scale was obvious, but Nolan’s psychological interrogation of the events was what satisfied me the most. A resolutely modern version.
-Tom Page (@thomas_page) July 6, 2026
THE ODYSSEY is a stunning success. It features spectacular and even terrifying set pieces that feel like Christopher Nolan is fully embracing the horrors of Greek mythology. Yet the way he tastefully recontextualizes the story to bring it into modern times is what had my head buzzing (1/2) pic.twitter.com/x1GJbwSOEK
— Andrew J. Salazar (@AndrewJ626) July 6, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of THE ODYSSEY is as epic as the films get with some of the most breathtaking set pieces he’s ever attempted. A colossal achievement in scale, even by Nolan’s standards, his commitment to capturing as much as possible in camera using the new IMAX cameras… pic.twitter.com/UOOHd6lkbT
– Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) July 6, 2026
The Odyssey: Oppenheimer’s surprisingly natural (and less desperate) sequel about a man haunted by defying the gods and dooming civilization – he fights to avenge his own hubris. IMAX obviously huge. too clunky to be S-tier Nolan, but the final act rewards the journey.
– David Honestly (@davidehrlich) July 6, 2026
I saw THE ODYSSEY last week…
This is Christopher Nolan’s simplest film – and perhaps also his most impressive.
The epic scale and attention to detail is absolutely breathtaking. The closest comparison I can think of is Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy. pic.twitter.com/ivOvDaCSY4
– Jake (@jacobkleinman) July 6, 2026
THE ODYSSEY is a cinematic treat. A grandiose and captivating interpretation of Homer’s epic, and one that is uniquely Christopher Nolan. It’s honestly difficult to imagine that any other filmmaker on the planet is capable of bringing this source material to the screen with such breadth, scope and… pic.twitter.com/7jOO5Ch9ZZ
– Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) July 6, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is INCREDIBLE.
I am truly blown away by this film. Everything from the impeccable performances to the way Nolan embraces the supernatural is simply perfect.
If you can, SEE IT IN @IMAX 70mm. It is a breathtaking experience.
It will be great… pic.twitter.com/UXEAjF8cKk
– Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) July 6, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is MONUMENTAL on so many levels. Yes, it really tries to condense almost all of Homer into 3 hours. But it also addresses his greatest muse with more heart than any Nolan film since Interstellar… 1/3
– David Corbeau (@DCrowsNest) July 6, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of THE ODYSSEY is as epic as the films get with some of the most breathtaking set pieces he’s ever attempted. A colossal achievement in scale, even by Nolan’s standards, his commitment to capturing as much as possible in camera using the new IMAX cameras… pic.twitter.com/UOOHd6lkbT
– Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) July 6, 2026