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Official Discussion Official Discussion - The Odyssey (2026) [SPOILERS] Spoiler

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The Odyssey (2026)

Summary

After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Calypso along the way.

Director Christopher Nolan

Writer Christopher Nolan

Cast

  • Matt Damon as Odysseus
  • Tom Holland as Telemachus
  • Anne Hathaway
  • Zendaya
  • Lupita Nyong'o
  • Robert Pattinson
  • Charlize Theron
  • Benny Safdie
  • Jon Bernthal
  • John Leguizamo
  • Elliot Page
  • Himesh Patel
  • Samantha Morton

Rotten Tomatoes: 96%

Metacritic: 88

VOD / Release Theatrical release

Trailer Official Trailer

1.8k Upvotes

86% Upvoted

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254

u/KalamariKnight 9h ago

The thematic angle that hospitality and common understanding between strangers is the foundation of civilization is intensely interesting. Odysseus is the hero of the story, and him getting revenge on Antinous and the suitors for taking advantage of his house's hospitality feels fitting and satisfying.

But the film also holds Odysseus at least partially responsible for the betrayal of those tenets that leads to the Bronze Age collapse because of his idea to use the Trojan Horse. The reveal that the visions of Athena that haunt him are her wearing the face of the priestess he saw slaughtered is a heart-wrenching twist, and the final shot of the horse burning with the line that their tale will be remembered in song but their mistakes forgotten and repeated is sobering and poignant. Nolan really knows how to make the final few seconds of his films hit like a truck in that way.

19

u/TJeffersonsBlackKid 6h ago

The final five seconds of every Nolan film always hits like a lightning bolt.

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u/CicadaEast272 1h ago

"I believe we did"

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u/karateema 1h ago edited 1h ago

Alright, let's see:

Following: yup

Memento: more like the final scene

Insomnia: not really

Batman Begins: cool teaser

The Prestige: absolutely

The Dark Knight: iconic

Inception: YES

The Dark Knight Rises: nods

Intestellar: hopeful and inspiring

Dunkirk: moving

Tenet: really cool, a bit sad

Oppenheimer: 100%

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u/Background-Image-585 1h ago

You missed the best one - the wobbly spinning top in Inception

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u/karateema 1h ago

You're right, i fixed it

39

u/_BallsDeep69_ 8h ago

The whole movie I was looking for the message. What themes he was going to focus on. Then boom it fucking hits you with a sledgehammer and I’m like AHHH that was fucking awesome.

12

u/TimRigginsBeer 6h ago

The real Trojan Horse was the friends we made along the way. 

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u/toomeystarks 2h ago

The people of the sea*

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u/Bird_and_Dog 5h ago

Shoot, even monotheism, which was cropping up around the late Bronze Age (for reference, the Exodus of the Hebrews from Egypt is alleged to occur around the end of the Bronze Age), has foundational laws in its origin texts about hospitality (Abraham and Sarah opening their tent to the Archangels). Leviticus is the birth of the "Love thy neighbor as yourself" line.

The Golden Rule has popped up from the Middle Kingdom of Egypt (~2000-1600 BC) to Confucian China (~500 BC) as well.

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u/limitbreakse 2h ago

I liked the theme, but didn’t the Trojans break the code first by kidnapping Helen?

The 10 years of pent up rage is where our heroes became villains

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u/Captn_Platypus 2h ago

It’s a point in contention when it’s possible Helen ran away though, she looks like she hates her husband enough

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u/Fifthlive 1h ago

She also apologizes to Telemachus for the war. Clearly She feels guilty for either running way or never trying to escape her kidnappers during the ten years of war.

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u/KalamariKnight 1h ago edited 1h ago

In addition to the idea that Helen actually left of her own will, as the other reply suggests, there's a line that indicates that Agamemnon uses Helen's departure as an excuse to invade Troy because he wants to usurp control of the trade routes they manage; in other words, to satisfy his own greed and lust for power.

Tragically, that doesn't seem to prevent Helen from feeling guilty as the cause of the war, with her apologizing to Telemachus about it.

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u/Background-Image-585 1h ago

I think she went willingly

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u/1mplication 2h ago

Only knowing bits and pieces of the Odyssey, I was wondering the whole movie WHY he wouldn’t want to go home. They show how much he loves his family and his reluctance to go…and then the reveal.

I’m still thinking about it, long afterwards. Great ending for sure.

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u/eggydrums115 1h ago

The betrayal of those what?!?