Charlize, Zendaya, and Storms at Sea: Inside Nolan’s Star-Studded Odyssey
Darlings, fasten your seatbelts—Christopher Nolan is taking us on a voyage, and judging by the newly released trailer for The Odyssey, it’s going to be nothing short of sartorially spectacular. The visionary director behind the Academy Award-sweeping Oppenheimer has set his sights on Homer’s timeless Greek epic, and the fashion set is already abuzz with anticipation.
Universal Pictures unveiled the first official glimpse of Nolan’s ambitious adaptation, featuring an ensemble cast that reads like a who’s who of Hollywood royalty. Matt Damon embodies Odysseus, the cunning King of Ithaca, whose legendary Trojan Horse stratagem finally ended the decade-long siege of Troy. After years of bloodshed and chaos, our hero yearns to return to his beloved wife Penelope (the eternally elegant Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland, proving once again he’s far more than just a friendly neighborhood Spider-Man).
But what would an odyssey be without obstacles? The journey home becomes a gauntlet of mythological encounters—from Charlize Theron’s bewitching Circe to the terrifying Cyclops Polyphemus, brought to life through Nolan’s reportedly stunning use of practical animatronics. The trailer itself is a masterclass in visual storytelling: sweeping oceanic vistas worthy of a Valentino campaign, riveting storm sequences that leave Damon looking like a devastatingly handsome shipwreck survivor, and that iconic Trojan Horse moment we’ve all been waiting to see rendered in IMAX glory.
The score alone—stirring, propulsive, utterly transporting—has already sent shivers down the spines of cinephiles and style enthusiasts alike. It’s the kind of auditory experience that makes you want to don your most dramatic cape and conquer kingdoms.
For those who simply cannot wait (and who could blame you?), a six-minute prologue is currently screening in IMAX theaters ahead of Avatar: Fire and Ash. The star-studded cast also includes Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Zendaya—a trifecta of style icons who could wear burlap sacks and still dominate best-dressed lists.
Nolan, ever the perfectionist, told Variety in 2023 that whatever project followed Oppenheimer would need to feel completely his own. “The initial seed of an idea may come from elsewhere, but it has to go through my fingers on a keyboard and come out through my eyes alone,” he explained. Mission accomplished, we’d say.
The Odyssey sets sail into theaters July 17—mark your calendars accordingly.
