Anne Hathaway’s role as Penelope in Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has become an early Oscars campaign question: whether Universal should submit her for lead actress or supporting actress. The decision matters because the film is already viewed as a major awards contender, while Hathaway’s category placement could affect both her chances of a second Oscar and the prospects of co-star Samantha Morton.

“The Odyssey” opened strongly at the box office and received widespread critical praise, with Variety projecting it could receive up to 17 Oscar nominations. Hathaway plays Odysseus’s wife, who resists suitors during his absence; she previously won supporting actress for “Les Misérables”. Nolan generally avoids discussing awards strategy until after a film’s release, so a formal decision is not expected until later in the autumn.