Christopher Nolan’s ambitious adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey opens July 17, marking the director’s return to epic storytelling and—more notably—the first feature film ever shot entirely on IMAX cameras. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus navigating a ten-year journey home after the Trojan War, encountering mythical beings and personal ruin along the way.

The ensemble cast is substantial: Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, and others. The production budget is rumored to exceed $200 million, a bet-the-farm investment for a film based on ancient literature rather than an existing IP franchise.

The IMAX Technical Achievement

Nolan is known for his commitment to shooting on film rather than digital. For The Odyssey, he and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema opted to shoot the entire picture on IMAX cameras—a technical undertaking few filmmakers have attempted. IMAX cameras are large, heavy, and require specialized support. They consume film stock faster than standard cameras, and processing is expensive.

The payoff, if Nolan achieves his intent, is immersive scale. IMAX frames capture roughly three times the visual information of standard frames. The ocean, the mythical landscapes, Odysseus’s battles—all are meant to engulf the viewer.

The film will play in IMAX and multiple premium large formats. If you see it, IMAX is the way Nolan wants you to see it.

Adapting the Unadaptable

The Odyssey has resisted adaptation for centuries. It’s not a hero’s journey with clear beats—it’s a series of obstacles, delays, and near-deaths stretching across a ten-year span. Character arcs matter less than endurance and struggle. That narrative structure is at odds with modern Hollywood storytelling, which prefers clear three-act progression.

Nolan, though, has a track record of adapting difficult material. Inception translated abstract philosophy into blockbuster spectacle. Tenet made temporal inversion work (sort of) in an action movie. The Odyssey might be his most ambitious test yet: making ancient epic cinema feel immediate and emotionally grounded for contemporary audiences.

Box Office Expectations

Nolan’s recent films have performed well. Oppenheimer became one of 2023’s highest-grossing releases, and audiences showed up for Dunkirk and Interstellar. The Odyssey will benefit from Nolan’s name and the spectacle of IMAX shooting, but it arrives during a crowded July, up against Moana’s second weekend and the backend of Spider-Man: A Brand-New Day.

The Odyssey opens July 17 in preview engagements Thursday night, with full release Friday. For anyone interested in cinema ambition and spectacle, it’s the event film of the month.