Moviegoers are getting their first glimpse at Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic “The Odyssey” through a theatrical teaser tied to the discharge of “Jurassic World Rebirth.” For those who’ve caught the sneak peek, you may know that it follows a tried and true Nolan custom — the customarily cryptic, vibes-first trailer, meant extra to tease the temper of the movie than to offer away a lot in the way in which of plot or element. Since “The Odyssey” is an adaptation of one of the vital well-known literary works in recorded historical past, story spoilers aren’t actually a priority right here. However the traditional early Nolan film teaser arguably makes even extra sense on this case, and the trailer footage completely units up the type of film he is making an attempt to make.
The footage primarily exhibits Telemachus, Odysseus’s son, performed by Tom Holland, at a feast of kinds the place he asks Jon Bernthal’s character what occurred to his father. The older man appears to scoff, declaring that everybody has their very own story of what occurred to Odysseus (Matt Damon) after the Trojan Battle. The rumors swirl, and we get a closing shot of the person himself handed out on a drifting raft.
Most of what we see is dim hearth dialog and empty ocean, although there are a pair pictures of what look like the Trojan Horse. Whereas it is not fairly as a lot as some followers might have needed, it is a terrific setup for the type of story we’ll get.
Christopher Nolan has a behavior of constructing memorable teasers
The unique teaser trailer for “Inception” lives in my thoughts completely. Speechless, it nonetheless conveyed the thriller, drama, and surprise of the movie. It did precisely what a teaser trailer is supposed to do — create questions and promise satisfaction. “Dunkirk” had a really comparable announcement teaser, as did “Tenet,” and lots of of Nolan’s different movies. In comparison with a few of these, the “Odyssey” teaser truly appears pretty substantive.
Coming off of his biggest vital success but with “Oppenheimer,” the director is clearly making an attempt to hold that fame for epic storytelling ahead. For those who’ve learn any model of “The Odyssey,” you already know that the story has a large scope, and I really like that this primary trailer retains issues centered on the principle plot problem — the disappearance of Odysseus and the query of his return house.
The Odyssey could also be fantasy, however it’s nonetheless a Nolan film
Everyone knows usually what’s going to occur in “The Odyssey.” The title alone has lengthy been a colloquial shorthand for an extended journey of any type. However there can nonetheless be wealthy drama pulled from the textual content, and by specializing in the unresolved loss on the facet of Telemachus, this early teaser does simply that.
Within the trailer footage, Odysseus has already been gone far too lengthy. The tragedy has occurred — he did not make it house from the battle he gained, and nobody is aware of for sure why. There are nonetheless loads of questions on how Nolan will stability the assorted adventures, risks, and facet characters that the story calls for, however it’s clear that the tone will likely be unmistakably Nolan.
In fact, that implies that your mileage might differ relying on how a lot you benefit from the director’s distinct model of smooth, crowd-pleasing style drama, in addition to how a lot you’ll be able to bear his struggles in sure key areas (like, you already know, writing girls). Although the subject material is extra fantastical with Nolan diving into Greek mythology, your response to the “Odyssey” teaser should still be a good indicator of what you’ll be able to anticipate tonally from the completed movie. Nolan does not look to be breaking the mildew on what’s labored up to now.
“The Odyssey” opens in theaters on July 17, 2026
