Like always, Christopher Nolan is poised to turn next summer into a blockbuster season with his latest film, The Odyssey. Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek commander determined to return to his wife and son after the Trojan War, the movie is set for release in July 2026. Shot entirely on IMAX film, the production required more than two million feet of footage over a 91-day shoot, much of it filmed on open water. But the commitment to authenticity didn’t stop there. Matt Damon recently revealed that Nolan had a very specific requirement before casting him as Odysseus.
In an interview with Empire, Damon explained that Nolan insisted on total authenticity for the character’s appearance. “I’d never tried to grow a beard that size,” Damon admitted, adding, “I mean, there are about 100 things to take a beard off my face before it can get that long, starting with my kids.” Initially unsure he could meet the director’s demand for a long, rugged beard, Damon was quickly persuaded by Nolan’s vision.
Christopher Nolan elaborated on the reasoning behind his insistence on real hair. “I’m not a big fan of wigs and fake beards,” Nolan said, adding, “You want the physicality of real hair, so that you can put a firehose on the guy and do all the things we need him to do.”
When Damon suggested using a fake beard during a script discussion, Nolan immediately rejected the idea, emphasizing the importance of authenticity.
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Reflecting on the experience, Matt Damon described it as transformative. “I can say, without hyperbole, that it was the best experience of my career. It is exactly what you want of a summer movie. It should be the most massively entertaining film. It should feel mythic.”
As with every Christopher Nolan feature, The Odyssey boasts a star-studded ensemble cast, including Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Tom Holland, and Anne Hathaway. With an estimated budget of $250 million, it also marks the most expensive film of Nolan’s career.
