The first reactions to The Odyssey are here after the Christopher Nolan feature had its world premiere today in London. It is arguably the most highly anticipated movie of 2026, with 70mm IMAX tickets selling out a year before the release. Nolan recruited some of the biggest stars in Hollywood today to reinterpret one of the most pivotal pieces of world literature. The movie faced controversy over its casting and creative choices, but the excitement surrounding it has remained as strong as the day it was first announced.
The Odyssey hailed as an ‘absolute triumph’ in early reactions
The early reviews for The Odyssey from movie critics and fans are overwhelmingly positive. Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Erik Davis of Fandango called the movie “an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great filmmakers of our time.”
Variety’s Jazz Tangcay also described The Odyssey as “an astonishing achievement. A triumphant, spectacular epic,” before praising the performances of Tom Holland, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, John Leguizamo, Robert Pattinson and Lupita Nyong’o.
Joshua Rothkopf of The Los Angeles Times lauded the adaptation as “pure cinema.” Meanwhile, The Hollywood Reporter’s Aaron Couch underscored the horror elements in the film. “Been seeing his movies in theaters since Memento, and after 25 years, #TheOdyssey gives us a first: a fleshed out horror sequence directed by Christopher Nolan,” Couch shared.
Time Out’s Phil de Semlyen urged the audience to believe the hyperbole, adding, “The Odyssey is that film.” De Semlyen especially praised Samantha Morton’s performance as Circe, calling it “extraordinary.”
Further, Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian wrote, “Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is a colossal origin-myth story of postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence witnessed by the dead.”
Rachel Leishman of The Mary Sue noted, “The Odyssey is as epic as its source material with that level of Christopher Nolan spark that makes it something special,” before sharing that the movie is “Breathtaking, bold, and perfection.”
Elsewhere, IndieWire’s David Erlich was moderately critical of the movie, though his overall reaction was positive. “Too clunky to be S-tier Nolan, but the last act rewards the journey,” Erlich observed.
The Odyssey premieres in US theaters on July 17, 2026.
