The Odyssey began its grand journey.
Christopher Nolan’s major adaptation of Homer’s nearly 3,000-year-old Greek poem, and perhaps the most famous epic in history, had its world premiere in London on Monday, the official launch of what many expect will be one of the hottest releases of the summer (which, given the $250 million price tag, Universal is no doubt hoping too).
As for the stars, the first pit stop of the Odyssey world tour was, for some time, one of the most flamboyant ever seen in Leicester Square, with an almost full ensemble cast appearing under a scorching hot sun (a giant wooden horse, much like the one in the film, which was brought in and assembled for the occasion, unfortunately did not provide sufficient shade cover).
Joined by Nolan and his producer Emma Thomas, as well as top Universal executives including NBCUniversal Entertainment chairman Donna Langley, the lineup on the carpet (blue with a nautical theme) almost rivaled the guest list for Taylor Swift’s wedding over the weekend, led by Matt Damon as Trojan War hero Odysseus, plus Zendaya, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, John Leguizamo, Benny Safdie, Himesh Patel, Samantha Morton, Elliot Page, Travis Scott, Mia Goth and Corey Hawkins.
Some of the actors, including Damon, Hathaway and Pattinson, have previously collaborated with Nolan, while others, such as Zendaya, Holland and Theron, are newbies. But everyone was full of praise for the experience of working with the master director on this epic.
“It was like six or seven movies in one,” Damon said. Diversity on the red carpet. “Because that’s what it was. Every location was incredibly challenging, but every location was challenging in its own way. And I said to Emma (Thomas), actually, after about a month I said, ‘Thank God I’m not producing.’
Damon told Diversity he felt “a wave of gratitude that didn’t really subside” when Nolan asked him to portray the famous warrior on screen.
Of the role, he added: “It’s right up there because just the technical challenges of doing it on that scale were beyond anything I’ve ever seen.”
Pattinson, who is collaborating with Nolan again after Tenet, said that despite all the technical problems, the director “manages to create such huge things without ever feeling tense.” He continued: “It’s always incredibly satisfying. You know, it’s going to be so well organized and it’s going to feel like the highest level of ambition… and it’s just fun.” Pattinson added that he was near the set of The Batman that morning. Part 2″. “I still have eye makeup on!”
“The Odyssey” also provides a chance to see Hollywood supercouple Zendaya and Holland on screen right before the duo appears in the latest film “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” The “Euphoria” actress, who plays the goddess Athena, admitted she was thrilled to watch her significant other on set as Odysseus’ son Telemachus: “I was just moved by his performance. He’s incredible in this, as in everything, and I’m just glad that people will be able to see that kind of duality in one month straight.”
Holland, meanwhile, said Diversity: “I can’t put into words how I feel right now and I think this is a new experience for both of us.”
He later noted that his role was probably “the last time I had the opportunity to play a boy.”
Theron, who played Calypso, said Nolan was one of the few directors “brave enough to take on a story like this,” while Leguizamo added, “I felt like it was his magnum opus.”
Leguizamo, who plays the faithful swineherd Odysseus, went even further in his praise of Nolan.
“He’s a modern Homer, a modern innovator. He’s a visionary, like a prophet,” he said. “I have to say that working with him, I feel like I did the best acting job of my life. You know, I’ve always had a really hard time being really emotional in a movie, and this time he created such a sanctuary and such a safe space for me to be so vulnerable.”
Playing Agamemnon, who has the best costume in the film (and an impressive helmet in the posters), Safdie said it was “so unexpected” that he was asked to portray the iconic Greek king. “But Chris gives you a lot of confidence when he asks you to play something,” he continued. “Part of it is that he really believes you can pull it off, so in this case I thought, okay, I don’t know if people could pick me to be that figure, but if he thinks I can do it, I can do it.”
Safdie added that he believed Nolan was preparing to make The Odyssey, his biggest film to date.
“It’s like every movie he made was a preparation for this, because there’s so many different styles and genres,” he said.
Rapper Travis Scott was also confused by Nolan, saying he felt like he was “getting a call from one of your favorite superheroes” when the iconic director asked him to join the cast as the bard.
Although the hero of the hour may have missed the press conference, Nolan still addressed the audience in the cinema. Inside, he joked about the World Cup match between England and Mexico starting at 2am and urged anyone who was awake to watch it to “not snore during the quiet moments of the film.”
Following the huge success of Nolan’s previous film Oppenheimer, which grossed over $976 million worldwide and was until recently the most successful biopic behind Michael, there are expectations that The Odyssey will follow suit with equally impressive box office returns. Record pre-sales of premium wide-format films, some of which were released a year ahead of schedule in the summer of 2025, suggest that the film will be highly anticipated as the first film to be shot entirely on 70mm Imax cameras.
Given the size of the cast and the buzz of ticket requests, Universal staged another screening elsewhere in London at the BFI Imax.
The Odyssey will be released on July 17th.