Can Christopher Nolan follow “Oppenheimer” with an even bigger swing? According to the first wave of social media reactions to “The Odyssey,” Universal may have exactly what it wanted: a massive, IMAX-sized Homer adaptation that has viewers reaching for “epic” in every possible sense.
The social embargo lifted Monday for Nolan’s latest, and while full reviews are still to come, the initial reactions are overwhelmingly strong, with praise for the film’s scale, set pieces, craft, and final act. Empire’s Ian Sandwell called the film “staggering,” writing that it is “packed with intense and spectacular set pieces,” often powered by a “soul-rattling score,” and builds to a final act “as good as anything Nolan’s done.” Sandwell did add that “purists might baulk at the adaptation changes,” but said that “as an experience, nobody is doing it like Nolan.”
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That seemed to be the dominant note from early reactions: Nolan’s “The Odyssey” may not be a literalist’s dream, but it apparently delivers as a theatrical event. Collider’s Perri Nemiroff called it “a filmmaking feast” and “a grand and gripping rendition of Homer’s epic” that still feels “uniquely Christopher Nolan.” Matt Neglia of Next Best Picture called the film “as epic as movies get,” describing it as “a colossal achievement of scale, even by Nolan’s standards.”
The praise kept coming. Steven Weintraub said he had already seen the film twice, called it “incredible,” and urged audiences to see it in IMAX 70mm, calling that format a “jaw-dropping experience.” Erik Davis called it “an absolute triumph” and said it feels like “everything Nolan has been working toward with IMAX has culminated here.” Jazz Tangcay called the film “a work of art.”
There were a few caveats, too, which are probably useful given how breathless these early reaction cycles can get. Men’s Health’s Evan Romano suggested the film takes a minute to cohere, writing that it is “a little disorienting at first” and moves through “a series of vignettes” before everything “comes together in time for the third act.” IndieWire’s David Ehrlich was a little more mixed, calling the film “a surprisingly natural (and less despairing) ‘Oppenheimer’ follow-up” and saying the IMAX presentation is “obviously immense,” but adding that it is “too clunky to be S-tier Nolan,” even if “the last act rewards the journey.”
Written and directed by Nolan, “The Odyssey” adapts Homer’s ancient Greek epic about Odysseus’ long journey home after the Trojan War. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, with Anne Hathaway, Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Samantha Morton, Elliot Page, and more in the ensemble. The film is also being sold as a major format milestone, shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, a longtime Nolan obsession now applied to one of the foundational adventure stories in Western literature.
That alone has made “The Odyssey” one of the year’s most closely watched releases. “Oppenheimer” was a three-hour, R-rated historical drama that became a nearly billion-dollar global phenomenon and won seven Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. Nolan’s follow-up is arriving with a different kind of mythic weight: a massive studio epic, a giant cast, an ancient text, and the promise of spectacle built for the biggest screens possible.
“The Odyssey” opens in theaters July 17 via Universal Pictures.
Christopher Nolan is a visionary, and #TheOdyssey is a work of art. Adapting a Homer classic is not easy, but he has done an incredible job of bringing this to the big screen and telling Odysseus’s journey. He has outdone himself. You could feel the passion in his storytelling.… pic.twitter.com/Lkn0F7jYMH
— Jazz Tangcay (@jazzt) July 6, 2026
THE ODYSSEY is monumental. This is Nolan operating on a singular, accelerated level. Its spectacular cast, practical effects and gigantic scale come together to create a spin on Homer’s epic that might surprise people. A beautiful cinematic achievement, and a true masterpiece. pic.twitter.com/7oe7VPiSBo
— erin (@erinonfilm) July 6, 2026
THE ODYSSEY is a filmmaking feast. A grand and gripping rendition of Homer’s epic, and one that feels uniquely Christopher Nolan. It’s sincerely hard to imagine any other filmmaker on the planet being able to bring that source material to screen with this much scale, scope and… pic.twitter.com/7jOO5Ch9ZZ
— Perri Nemiroff (@PNemiroff) July 6, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of THE ODYSSEY is as epic as movies get with some of the most breathtaking set pieces he’s ever attempted. A colossal achievement of scale, even by Nolan’s standards, its commitment to capturing as much as possible in-camera using new IMAX cameras… pic.twitter.com/UOOHd6lkbT
— Matt Neglia (@NextBestPicture) July 6, 2026
Christopher Nolan's #TheOdyssey is an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great filmmakers of our time. It feels like everything Nolan has been working toward with IMAX has culminated here. The production design is incredible, the action is… pic.twitter.com/yLxocUEEdn
— Erik Davis (@ErikDavis) July 6, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ is INCREDIBLE.
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty) July 6, 2026
I'm really blown away by this film. Everything from the flawless performances to the way Nolan embraces the supernatural is just perfect.
If you can, SEE IT IN @IMAX 70mm. It’s a jaw dropping experience.
It'll be great… pic.twitter.com/UXEAjF8cKk
I saw THE ODYSSEY last week…
— Jake (@jacobkleinman) July 6, 2026
It's Christopher Nolan's most straightforward movie ever — and also maybe his most impressive.
Both the epic scale and attention to detail are absolutely stunning. The closest comparison I can think of is Peter Jackson's Lord of the Rings trilogy. pic.twitter.com/ivOvDaCSY4
THE ODYSSEY is as epic as its source material with that level of Christopher Nolan spark that makes it something special. It's a story of love and loss and takes you on quite the journey in only the way Nolan knows how. Breathtaking, bold, and perfection. pic.twitter.com/ycJ2zHEDsQ
— Rachel Leishman (@RachelLeishman) July 6, 2026
