Christopher Nolan’s latest epic, The Odyssey, has officially hit theaters with the release of a prologue running almost six minutes in length. Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, Nolan’s latest movie also features an all-star cast including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron and Jon Bernthal. It’s due out on July 17, 2026, but marketing began months ago with a minute-long teaser that released over the summer. Now, the first six minutes have released at IMAX theaters.
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The first six minutes are essentially a prologue to The Odyssey, showing the end of the Trojan war. It begins with a single question: “You hear the story of the horse?” This is followed by a beautiful shot of the Trojan horse, which is dragged inside the city of Troy by Trojan forces. There’s a moment of high drama when a Trojan soldier climbs on top of the horse and actually rams a spear inside it to check it’s safe, injuring one of the soldiers within; Odysseus quickly covers the man’s mouth so he doesn’t shout out in pain. The Trojans drag the horse inside the city walls, placing it outside a temple.
When nightfall comes, the Greeks emerge from the horse by popping an “exit” panel beneath it, killing the guards that stand nearby. Costume designs show a smart contrast between the Greeks and the Trojans; Trojans are dressed in white uniforms, and they’re even masked to ensure no sense of individuality. In contrast, Odysseus and his men are clothed in dark armor that’s perfect for infiltration. The Trojans do manage to sound the alarm, but not in time to prevent Odysseus and his men opening the gates. The footage ends with Odysseus donning his Greek helmet and preparing to join the battle that now rages throughout the city.
The footage is then followed by brief shots of action at sea, teasing the main adventure far from Troy. This culminates in a single shot of a cyclops, towering and powerful.
How To Watch The Odyssey Prologue
The Odyssey‘s first six minutes are only available at IMAX theaters. The extended preview is available for just one week, accompanying the IMAX rerelease of Sinners and One Battle After Another. A shorter, one-minute version will further be shown at IMAX theaters ahead of Avatar: Fire and Ash, but any viewers who fail to get to theaters this week will have to wait until July to see the full scene. Nolan has always loved the 70mm IMAX screens – they’re his preferred format – so this release strategy makes sense for his film.
What The Odyssey IMAX Prologue Reveals About Nolan’s Epic
Oddly enough, The Odyssey‘s prologue is essentially a look at a movie that never happened; Nolan was briefly hired as director for 2004’s Troy, which would have told the very tale. At the same time, though, this is a very different Nolan; a more seasoned director, with better understanding of scale and scope than he had in the early 2000s. There can be no doubt this six-minute prologue shows something far superior to anything we’d have had in 2004. In the end, Troy was directed by Wolfgang Petersen.
The Odyssey‘s first six minutes showcase Nolan’s incredible cinematography and his phenomenal ability to portray a sense of scale. Several of the scenes are absolutely breathtaking; the moment when the horse is dragged inside the city walls is truly striking, with so many extras struggling to pull it along the ground. Meanwhile, there’s also a focus on the experience of Odysseus and his men, as they reel and struggle to keep their balance in the shifting horse. It’s all absolutely stunning, proving that The Odyssey will be one of the most beautiful films of 2026.
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