# The Odyssey: jaw-dropping action, dark magic and dolphin cameos – discuss with spoilers

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/the-odyssey-jaw-dropping-action-dark-magic-and-dolphin-cameos-discuss-with-spoilers/
- Published: 2026-07-21T09:00:07+00:00
- Updated: 2026-07-21T09:33:54+00:00
- Original publisher: The Guardian (publisher lean: Left)
- Original article: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/21/odyssey-christopher-nolan-discussion
- Topics: Art, Celebrity, Culture, Entertainment

## Key points

- Nolan's Odyssey grossed $264m on its opening weekend worldwide
- Filmed across six countries; Western Sahara shoot criticised as controversial
- Nolan used real seas, a Viking ship and Imax cameras, avoiding CGI

## Summary

Christopher Nolan's big-screen adaptation of Homer's *The Odyssey*, starring Matt Damon, has become the summer's biggest box-office draw, taking $264m globally on its opening weekend alongside strong reviews, including a five-star notice from the Guardian's Peter Bradshaw. With few other major blockbusters due for release this summer bar Spider-Man: Brand New Day, the film looks set to dominate cinemas for weeks, drawing fans travelling long distances to see it on rare Imax 70mm screens.

The Guardian piece is a spoiler-filled breakdown of the film's production and craft, exploring how Nolan, buoyed by Oppenheimer's best picture Oscar win, spent a reported $250m budget shooting across six countries including Iceland, Scotland, Greece, Italy, Malta and Western Sahara – the latter drawing criticism over filming in a disputed, UN-classified non-decolonised territory. Nolan avoided CGI for the Mediterranean sea sequences, using a real Viking ship and a giant water tank with jet-engine-powered waves, while continuing his long-standing use of Imax cameras, first pioneered in blockbuster action scenes with The Dark Knight in 2008.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.