Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer Follow-Up Is Epic Adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan's follow-up to Oppenheimer will be a literal epic. Universal Pictures announced today that the Oscar-winning filmmaker's next project is an adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey, which the studio describes as "a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology."

This take on the ancient Greek epic poem steeped in mythology will hit theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026. It already boasts an insanely stacked cast that is only sure to grow, but as of this writing, Tom Holland (Spider-Man: No Way Home), Zendaya (Challengers), Matt Damon (Oppenheimer), Robert Pattinson (Tenet), Lupita Nyong’o (A Quiet Place: Day One), Charlize Theron (Mad Max: Fury Road), and Anne Hathaway (The Dark Knight Rises) are all attached. Per Deadline, production is expected to begin in early 2025.

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Christopher Nolan to adapt Homer's The Odyssey

Given his trademark penchant for grand storytelling, Nolan couldn't have chosen a title more suited to his sensibilities. In addition to being one of the oldest and most celebrated pieces of literature in existence, The Odyssey also comes with a built-in sense of grandeur thanks to the journey of its central hero, Odysseus, who faces many trials (sirens, sea monsters, and cyclopes to name a few) on his way home from the Trojan War.

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The title alone is now synonymous with any "long and eventful or adventurous journey or experience." Moreover, the epic's influence on human storytelling cannot be understated, with everyone from James Joyce (Ulysses), to the Coen brothers (O Brother, Where Art Thou?), to Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson) taking inspiration from it.

Nolan's movies have always been major events in and of themselves, but in recent years, the Hollywood veteran has also established himself as a major awards juggernaut, particularly with his nonlinear portrayal of the Manhattan Project (the top secret race to develop the world's first atomic weapon) in Oppenheimer, which took home seven Academy Awards, including statues for Best Actor and Best Picture.

While we wait for summer 2026, consider checking out Oppenheimer — now available to rent and/or purchase from Universal Pictures Home Entertainment. Two of the director's other celebrated films, Memento and Inception, are now streaming on Peacock.