TEHRAN – The 2026 epic action fantasy film “The Odyssey,” written and directed by Christopher Nolan, will be shown at the cineplex of the Tehran Book Garden on Wednesday.
The 172-minute movie screening is set for 16:30 and it will be followed by a review session in the presence of the veteran film critic Masoud Farassati, ILNA reported.
An adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem, the “Odyssey,” it stars an ensemble cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron.
In the film, Odysseus (Damon), the Greek king of Ithaca, undergoes a long and perilous journey home after the Trojan War and encounters mythical beings as he attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Hathaway).
Throughout his voyage, he is forced to confront the whims of gods, mythological monsters, and trials that stretch both his cunning and his humanity to the breaking point.
With an estimated budget of $250 million, it is among the most expensive films of Nolan's career, and the first feature film to be shot entirely on IMAX's 70 mm film cameras.
The film received acclaim for its direction, performances, and set pieces, though some criticized Nolan's deviations from the source material. It has grossed $1.804 billion worldwide, becoming Nolan's highest-grossing film, the second-highest-grossing film of 2026, the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, the highest-grossing film distributed by Universal, and the eleventh-highest-grossing film of all time.
The “Odyssey” is one of two major epics of ancient Greek literature attributed to Homer, first composed around the 8th or 7th century BC. It is one of the oldest surviving works of literature and remains popular with modern audiences. Like the “Iliad,” the “Odyssey” is divided into 24 books. It follows the heroic king of Ithaca, Odysseus (also known by the Latin variant Ulysses), and his homecoming journey after the ten-year-long Trojan War. His journey from Troy to Ithaca lasts an additional ten years, during which time he encounters many perils and all of his crewmates are killed. In Odysseus's long absence, he is presumed dead, leaving his wife Penelope and son Telemachus to contend with a group of unruly suitors competing for Penelope's hand in marriage.
Critics have noted multiple differences between Nolan's and Homer's versions of “The Odyssey”. Some have questioned whether Nolan accurately depicts Mycenaean Greece; others have argued that Homer's epic was simply a myth, and others have stated that while “The Odyssey” is a story, it was rooted in history.
Nolan cut some plot elements and characters, including several gods, while attempting to preserve an appropriate tone. He decided to portray Odysseus as a veteran tired of war and haunted by slaughter. That offers a modern explanation for the length of Odysseus's homecoming—that he was avoiding going home.
Sir Christopher Nolan, 56, is a British and American filmmaker. Known for his Hollywood blockbusters with complex storytelling, Nolan is considered a leading filmmaker of the 21st century. His films have earned over $8 billion worldwide, making him the third-highest-grossing film director of all time.
Nolan's accolades include two Academy Awards, a Golden Globe Award, and two British Academy Film Awards. He was also appointed a Commander of the British Empire (CBE) in 2019 and was knighted in 2024 for his contributions to film.
Nolan developed an interest in filmmaking from a young age. After studying English literature at University College London, he made several short films before his feature film debut with “Following” (1998). Nolan gained international recognition with his second film, “Memento” (2000), and transitioned into studio filmmaking with “Insomnia” (2002).
He became a high-profile director with “The Dark Knight” trilogy (2005–2012) and found further success with “The Prestige” (2006), “Inception” (2010), “Interstellar” (2014) and “Dunkirk” (2017).
After the release of the critically polarizing “Tenet” (2020), Nolan parted ways with longtime distributor Warner Bros. Pictures over their streaming release strategy and signed with Universal Pictures for the highly successful “Oppenheimer” (2023) and “The Odyssey” (2026). The former won him Academy Awards for Best Director and Best Picture.