Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Adds Another Former Marvel Star to Its Cast

The star-studded ensemble for Christopher Nolan‘s upcoming epic adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey continues to grow, with former Legion actor Bill Irwin joining the already impressive roster alongside fellow additions Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, and Samantha Morton, per The Hollywood Reporter. This latest round of casting announcements adds another connection to Marvel’s universe, as Irwin, known for portraying Cary Loudermilk in FX’s Legion, joins Page, who previously appeared as Kitty Pryde in the films X-Men: The Last Stand and X-Men: Days of Future Past.

This marks a reunion with Nolan for several cast members. Patel previously worked with the director on Tenet, Page starred in Inception, and Irwin lent his voice to the beloved robot TARS in Interstellar. For two-time Oscar nominee Morton, however, this represents her first collaboration with the acclaimed filmmaker.

Production is set to begin in roughly two months on Sicily’s Favignana, also known as “Goat Island,” a location that supposedly featured in Odysseus’s original journey. The film will then move to additional shooting locations in Morocco and the UK, utilizing what’s being described as “brand new IMAX technology.”

[RELATED – Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Budget Reportedly Revealed (And It’s Massive)]

While specific roles remain unannounced, Tom Holland was the first cast member announced in what Universal describes as a “mythic action epic.” The film will adapt Homer’s classic poem following Odysseus’s perilous decade-long journey home after the Trojan War, featuring encounters with legendary creatures and divine beings.

The new additions join an already impressive ensemble, including Matt Damon, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, and Benny Safdie. The film is scheduled to reach theaters on July 17, 2026, maintaining Nolan’s lucky tradition of mid-July releases that previously served well for hits like The Dark Knight, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer.

The project marks Nolan’s first venture into the realm of classical mythology; it’s arguably his most fantastical film to date, promising to bring the epic’s iconic elements like the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe to the screen.

Holland expressed his excitement about joining the project during a Good Morning America appearance, stating, “When the opportunity came in, it was the phone call of a lifetime. It was reminiscent of getting the call about Spider-Man 10 years ago. It’s an amazing thing for me. I’m super proud and I’m really, really excited.”

Speculation suggests Holland could either portray Odysseus himself or potentially his son Telemachus, with some theorizing that Damon might play an older version of Odysseus or appear as Telemachus’s father.