As anticipation for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming adaptation of the Homeric epic The Odyssey ramps up, Universal has released another trailer that teases a journey of, well, epic proportions, alongside a first good look at its various side characters.
First to appear is Calypso, the sea nymph played by Charlize Theron, who asks Matt Damon’s Odysseus, “What do you remember?” The latter answers, “A wife, a son,” and the clip cuts to Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and Telemachus (Tom Holland), with the Greek hero promising that “No one can stand between me and home. Not even the gods.” Tough luck — Poseidon says hi (so do the other gods, but specifically the trident-wielding Olympian).
The introduction sets up the stage for other figures to make their entrance, including Robert Pattinson’s Antinous, Penelope’s cruel and arrogant suitor, who seeks to become the ruler of Ithaca, Odysseus’ servant Eumaeus (John Leguizamo), Menelaus (Jon Bernthal), the Greek king of Sparta and Agamemnon’s brother, and Polyphemus, the man-eating cyclops in the ninth book of Homer’s literary classic.
Missing in the trailer are Zendaya as the goddess Athena, Benny Safdie as Agamemnon, Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, Mia Goth as Melantho, and Jimmy Gonzales as Cepheus, with Lupita Nyong’o and Will Yun Lee rounding out the star-studded ensemble cast in unspecified roles.
There are also flashbacks to the Trojan War, the events originally depicted in The Iliad, the book before The Odyssey, which unfold on a large scale and lean into gritty overtones. At some point, Damon is seen in new armour — the previous look attracted criticism for the lack of historical accuracy — but the use of American accents and modern speech is easily the most jarring element here. While it’s likely for accessibility (not many can understand ancient-language dialogue, after all), hearing Pattinson tell Holland that he’s “pining for a daddy” does feel out of place in the film’s setting, and the same goes for Odysseus yelling, “Let’s go!”
Slated for theatrical release on 17 July, The Odyssey will be the 13th addition to Nolan’s filmography and his first foray into historical fiction. Despite being one of the filmmaker’s most ambitious projects to date, it won’t be as lengthy as some may think, with a runtime under Oppenheimer‘s 180 minutes, or three hours.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
