Official Discussion - The Odyssey (2026) [SPOILERS]

[u/LiteraryBoner]

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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

[u/brdperson1]

Holy smokes that cyclops scene.

I loved how we see his outline for just a moment before he covers the cave entrance and plunges all of Odysseus’ party into darkness. The sound design was perfect- the silence in the darkness followed by the gargantuan hand plucking screaming soldiers off, his unnatural roars and shouts of pain, his uncomfortably loud and earth shaking foot stomps. Also the reveal of his face being a twisted Picasso like disfigurement rather than a “classic” cyclops design was such a good reveal. Everything about that scene was as eery as it was intense- it seriously felt like Odysseus and his men were a bunch of ants trying to escape a brutal force of nature.

I loved the whole film but that scene alone is movie theater experience I will never forget.

[u/atclubsilencio → u/brdperson1]

I felt bad for him though! He didn’t deserve that. The sounds of him chewing on the one guy (including a chunk of him following down his chin) is vividly playing out in my mind !

Odysseus didn’t need to shoot that second arrow! I liked the one guy asking if they should try reasoning with him and he replies “Yeah, I think we’re past that point..” but he did have a point ! They don’t even try! Dude was just hungry and wanting to sleep.

[u/brdperson1 → u/atclubsilencio]

That’s another thing I found really interesting - the cyclops was almost childlike. He was just herding his sheep, eating, and sleeping. There was no malice in his facial expressions or actions until he was attacked. The big guy literally just curled up in a ball and fell asleep despite all the humans who invaded his lair

[u/Feltrin → u/brdperson1]

Omg that makes me think of him holding his hand out to feel the sheep as he lets them out — was that him trying to soothe himself after being stabbed?

[u/edicivo → u/Feltrin]

No, he was expecting the humans to try to slip out. He couldn't see so he could only go by feel which is why the humans strapped straw to their backs.

[u/Throwaway_couple_ → u/atclubsilencio]

I think the way with the whole journey at sea being told through Odysseus's recollection, is actually how he is processing the trauma and violence he is responsible for. The journey is a psychic journey as much as it is represented literally. I think through this framing, the cyclops is really a construct for how the Greeks dehumanized, slaughtered and plundered an entire population as if they were a monolith.

He didn't have to shoot the cyclops in the eye. But he did anyway. Because war makes men cruel and senseless.