Following the movie's world premiere in London last night, critics have been allowed to share their early verdicts on Christopher Nolan's first swords-and-sandals epic, The Odyssey.
As a reminder, Universal Pictures decided to forgo the influencer screenings that generate overly enthusiastic, often phoney, buzz for a new movie. That means you can put a little more stock in these, though it's always worth reminding that these immediate out-of-theater reactions tend to skew positive.
As we first revealed on SFFGazette.com, this first wave of critics was definitely wowed by what Nolan has done with the take of Odysseus, hailing it as "flawless filmmaking" that is as revolutionary for this genre as Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton was for Broadway (in terms of a diverse cast that delivers a fresh take on a familiar tale).
As one critic puts it, "The Odyssey is as epic as its source material with that level of Christopher Nolan spark that makes it something special. It's a story of love and loss and takes you on quite the journey in only the way Nolan knows how. Breathtaking, bold, and perfection."
The cast is receiving a lot of praise, with Tom Holland, in particular, hailed for what sounds like a career-best performance away from his Marvel role as Spider-Man.
Overall, it sounds like we should brace ourselves for a "grand" theatrical experience later this month, but is it Nolan's best work? While that's yet to be determined, it certainly sounds like he's done this story justice. Full reviews for The Odyssey will go live on July 15 at 9 am ET, so be sure to stay tuned then for a full breakdown.
The cast of The Odyssey includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Lupita Nyong'o, Will Yun Lee, Benny Safdie, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Corey Hawkins, Josh Stewart, Jimmy Gonzales, Maurice Compte, and Logan Marshall-Green.
Shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology, the film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.