Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' is shaping up to be an epic, and the first footage hints at a cinematic experience unlike any other.
The initial glimpse of Nolan's 'The Odyssey' promises a grand spectacle, as revealed in a six-minute clip shown before screenings of 'Sinners' and 'One Battle After Another.' This footage focuses on the legendary Trojan horse, a pivotal moment in the mythology surrounding Odysseus, even if not a central plot point in Homer's original epic.
For those unfamiliar, the Trojan horse was Odysseus's ingenious plan: a massive wooden horse concealing Greek soldiers. The Trojans, believing it a peace offering, brought it within their city walls, allowing the Greeks to launch a surprise attack.
The clip begins with Jon Bernthal's Menelaus, the king of Sparta, asking Tom Holland's Telemachus, Odysseus's son, "Did you hear the story of the horse?" Telemachus confirms he has. "Did you hear it from the inside?" Bernthal probes, setting the stage for the action.
We then see Matt Damon as Odysseus, along with Bernthal and others, huddled inside the giant wooden horse as it arrives on the shores of Troy. The Trojans celebrate, while Odysseus listens intently. Soon, the horse is brought into the city, and the Greeks inside must dodge probing swords.
As time passes, the horse sits triumphantly at the steps of a massive building within Troy. Damon, looking tense, prepares for action. He drops a rope to climb down and silently attacks a guard. A wordless battle ensues, with the Trojans sounding the alarm. Guards swarm out, and Odysseus's men begin turning the gears to open the city gates.
But here's where it gets controversial... No classic literature student or movie buff will be surprised when the gates open, and a wave of Greek soldiers pours in. These soldiers are fully armed, unlike Odysseus's men, who fought with only the clothes they wore in the horse. Menelaus raises his arms in triumph. Brief flashes of armored men, a cryptic monster, and a severed head hint at the film's scope. (Notably, cast members like Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, and Robert Pattinson aren't shown.)
Nolan masterfully intercuts between the chaos of battle and the precision of the gears, and he doesn't lose his touch for granular character details amidst the spectacle. One might say the carefully crafted story within the massive drama is a sort of, well, Trojan horse.
And this is the part most people miss... The footage's debut, attached to two Imax rereleases from Warner Bros., provides a touch of poetic justice for Nolan. Having left the studio for Universal to make 'Oppenheimer' and then 'The Odyssey,' the promotion for his new film is being used to entice people to see WB's 2025 offerings.
'The Odyssey' is scheduled for release on July 17, 2026.
What are your thoughts on this first look at 'The Odyssey'? Do you think Nolan's approach to the Trojan horse is a bold move, or do you have a different interpretation of the story? Share your thoughts in the comments!
