Universal Pictures has revealed that Matt Damon will portray the mythic hero Odysseus in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film adaptation of The Odyssey. On Monday, the film’s official X account announced the star of the film by sharing a first-look photo of Damon as Odysseus. 

Based on the over 2,000 year-old ancient Greek poem by Homer, Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey will follow the king of Ithaca, Odysseus, as he embarks on his journey home after battling in the Trojan War. In December, Universal described the film as, “a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology,” as it’s anticipated to bring, “Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time.” 

The Odyssey is set to consist of a star-studded cast alongside Damon, including: Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Mia Goth, Elliot Page, Lupita Nyong’o, John Leguizamo, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, and many more.

In January, Variety reported that the movie will film in settings native to the original text such as in Sicily, the area of Odysseus’ travels, and the Island of Favignana (aka “goat island”), which is believed to have been where Homer imagined Odysseus and his crew would end up. 

In addition to directing and penning the script, Nolan is also producing alongside his wife, British film producer Emma Thomas. The Odyssey marks Damon’s third collaboration with Nolan, following Oppenheimer and his minor role in Interstellar, though this is his first lead role in one of the director’s films. 

The Odyssey is coming to theaters on July 17, 2026.