Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has officially clocked in at 172 minutes (2 hours and 52 minutes), making it the director's second longest film to date—just eight minutes shy of Oppenheimer's three-hour epic. Given that Nolan is adapting Homer's ancient Greek masterpiece for IMAX, no one expected a breezy 90-minute adventure. But now we know exactly how much time we'll need to set aside for this mythological journey.
The runtime was revealed by Empire magazine, confirming that The Odyssey will be a substantial but slightly more streamlined experience than Oppenheimer, which ran 180 minutes and went on to win seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Nolan himself previously hinted the film would be shorter than his atomic bomb biopic, and that's proven true—though calling this epic "short" is like saying Mount Everest is just a hill.
Nolan shot more than 2 million feet of film over a 91-day production, and The Odyssey is the first Hollywood feature to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras. To capture dialogue scenes more effectively, the team developed a new IMAX camera housing nicknamed a “blimp” to reduce noise. Nolan told Empire he wanted to bring one of the oldest stories ever told into “an A-budget and a big Hollywood, IMAX production,” and it's clear he's spared no expense—except maybe a few minutes on the cutting room floor.
The cast is a who's-who of Hollywood heavyweights. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, with Tom Holland playing his son Telemachus. The ensemble also includes Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal. Nolan writes and directs, reuniting with Universal after the massive success of Oppenheimer.
Fans are already buzzing about the film, and early ticket sales have been nothing short of chaotic. In fact, the Odyssey Ticket Frenzy Crashes Fandango as Nolan's IMAX Epic Sets Records, proving that audiences are hungry for big-screen spectacle. For those wondering who's playing whom, our Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Cast: Who's Playing Who in the Epic? guide breaks down every role.
With a runtime that's epic but not punishing, The Odyssey is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated blockbusters of 2026. It's currently set to hit theaters on July 17, 2026. If you're ranking upcoming movies by hype, this one is near the top—check out our list of 8 Upcoming Blockbuster Movies Ranked by Anticipation: From Supergirl to The Odyssey to see where it lands.
