Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic, The Odyssey, is shaping up to be a lengthy cinematic journey. The film clocks in at 2 hours and 53 minutes, according to information briefly shared by IMAX and AMC Theatres. The runtime has since been removed from these websites, but it was confirmed before it was taken down. This could indicate an early announcement ahead of official ticket presales. The Odyssey had a limited ticket presale last July, allowing fans to book tickets for the film’s opening weekend showings in 70mm IMAX well before the first trailer was released. More tickets are expected to go on sale soon for standard IMAX and regular theatrical formats.
The credits for The Odyssey could account for 5-10 minutes of the total runtime. At 2 hours and 53 minutes, the film is set to be Nolan’s second-longest behind Oppenheimer, which runs for 3 hours. Interstellar and The Dark Knight Rises are shorter, at 2 hours and 49 minutes and 2 hours and 45 minutes, respectively. Nolan has a history of keeping his films within a 3-hour limit, preferring to shoot on IMAX film. The platters that hold the film reels cannot exceed this length, so Nolan had to work with IMAX to slightly extend the platters to accommodate Oppenheimer’s runtime. The Odyssey will push against this limit once again. It is unclear if Nolan had to make any cuts to fit the runtime, but the film covers a vast story and it will be interesting to see how he tackles it.
Despite the buzz around The Odyssey, the film has sparked some controversy. The casting of Oscar-winning actress Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and her sister, Clytemnestra, has drawn criticism. Nyong’o has responded to the backlash, stating, “I’m not spending my time thinking of a defense. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not.”
Nolan has also faced criticism for historical inaccuracies. Some viewers have pointed out that the accents and dialogue do not reflect the era the film portrays. Specifically, the use of the word “daddy” by Robert Pattinson’s Antinous to taunt Tom Holland’s Telemachus has sparked debate about the evolution of language and the importance of period-accurate dialogue in a film. Some viewers have also questioned the armor featured in the film, which they feel is more theatrical than what soldiers and warriors would have worn during that time. Nolan defended the armor in an interview with Time magazine, noting that his portrayal is “feasible” and was made with great consideration. He said, “Hopefully they’ll enjoy the film, even if they don’t agree with everything. We had a lot of scientists complain about Interstellar. But you just don’t want people to think that you took it on frivolously.”
The conversation around the film has been heated, to say the least. The Odyssey features an all-star ensemble cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, Charlize Theron, and many others. It is expected to be one of the biggest films of the summer, alongside titles like Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Supergirl. The Odyssey will release in theaters on 17 July 2026.
