Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated epic The Odyssey has made its theatrical debut – kind of. 
The teaser trailer, intended to be an exclusive preview before Jurassic World: Rebirth, has leaked online via shaky cellphone recordings. While Universal Pictures has yet to officially release the teaser, the internet isn’t waiting.
The trailer opens with a haunting voiceover, possibly from Eumaeus, Odysseus’s loyal companion. Sweeping shots of the Mediterranean Sea and the iconic Trojan Horse immediately ground the viewer in a mythic world. Then we meet Telemachus, played by Tom Holland, as he seeks answers from Jon Bernthal’s King Menelaus about the fate of his long-lost father, Odysseus, portrayed by Matt Damon. When Menelaus laughs off the idea of Odysseus being imprisoned, saying, “What prison could hold a man like that?”, Nolan’s penchant for mythologizing heroes shines through.
Odysseus himself remains largely a mystery in the teaser – glimpsed only from behind or in shadow – preserving his legendary status. A flash of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy hints at bold casting decisions that are already drawing both praise and backlash. Some speculate she may also portray Helen’s sister, Clytemnestra, potentially expanding her role in this adaptation. While Helen’s presence in Homer’s The Odyssey is minimal, Nolan’s version may take creative liberties to deepen female roles.
Fans are split. Some welcome the diversity and artistic risk; others see it as another example of Hollywood rewriting history for modern agendas. Meanwhile, others are focused on different details – Jon Bernthal’s potentially odd fit as Menelaus, the hope that the film embraces its fantastical roots, and even wild speculations like David Beckham making a cameo.
Nolan’s The Odyssey is shaping up to be more than just a myth retold. It’s a cultural event, complete with modern controversy, artistic reinterpretation, and that signature Nolan mystery. Whether the film lives up to the legend – or sinks under the weight of its own ambition – remains to be seen.