Christopher Nolan's next movie, an adaptation of The Odyssey, is generating a huge amount of excitement in Hollywood. Now, as the filmmaker gears up to begin shooting his first fantasy epic, the star-studded cast has added another impressive name.
According to Deadline (via SFFGazette.com), Daredevil: Born Again and The Punisher star Jon Bernthal has joined the cast of the movie. His role is being kept under wraps, but he's the latest A-Lister to board the project which will be led by Spider-Man 4's Tom Holland.
Also part of the cast are Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Charlize Theron.
"Christopher Nolan’s next film The Odyssey is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology," Universal Pictures revealed last month. "The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to Imax film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026."
Of all the movies we expected Nolan to helm, a new take on the epic poem composed by Homer in the 8th Century wasn't predicted or guessed by anyone. However, it's not a stretch to suggest the filmmaker will deliver something special here.
For those of you unfamiliar with the tale, as the trade explains, "The ancient Greek poem is one of the foundational texts of Western literature. It tells the story of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, and his perilous journey home after the Trojan War, exploring themes of heroism, loyalty, cunning and the struggle against divine will."
"The tale includes iconic stories like Odysseus' encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens and the witch-goddess Circe, culminating in a reunion with his wife Penelope."
Bernthal recently won an Emmy for his role in FX's The Bear and has The Accountant 2 and Netflix's His & Hers on the way later this year. For comic book fans, it's his return as Frank Castle in Daredevil: Born Again this March that's most anticipated.
"I think there’s a reason why that character has resonated as deeply and strongly as he has," the actor previously said of his upcoming MCU debut. "In the hearts and minds of comic book fans and first responders and people in the military and people all over the globe. I think there’s a little bit of Frank Castle in everybody. He exists very strongly inside me and I care about that character deeply."
"I also know that it’s absolutely essential that if we do it, we do it right and we have real sacred integrity to the source material and to what is at the core of Frank," Bernthal continued. "I’m gonna do my absolute best to make sure that, if and when we do it, we do it right."
While Holland and Bernthal previously starred in Pilgrimage, this reunion would be all the more amazing if it were to instead take place in the MCU. There's still time for that, of course, especially if those Spider-Man 4 rumours are to be believed.
Keep checking back here for updates on The Odyssey as we have them.