As we first revealed on SFFGazette.com, Universal Pictures has released the final "Countdown" trailer for The Odyssey, showcasing sweeping new footage from filmmaker Christopher Nolan's first foray into the fantasy genre (he came close in 2004 with Troy, but this is his do-over).
This does seem to be the same trailer that's been playing in multiplexes since The Mandalorian and Grogu's release at the end of May, but for those of you who missed it on the big screen, it can now be enjoyed online in full HD.
While The Odyssey's most epic moments are clearly being saved for those who watch it in theaters, there are plenty of thrilling, awe-inspiring moments to be found here. We also get to see more of the ensemble cast, which arguably makes this the summer's most star-studded blockbuster.
The trailer also teases what promises to be an epic clash between Odysseus and the Cyclops, and to bring the mythical creature to life, Nolan utilised a mixture of animatronics and puppetry, along with an on-set performance from Interstellar's Bill Irwin.
"Everything about the Cyclops sequence is aimed at trying to imagine: what would this be like in real life?" the filmmaker told Empire. "Not approaching it from a storybook or cartoony point of view, but really trying to be in there with Odysseus and his men. It’s a horrifying situation."
Lead star Matt Damon added, "Bill was doing voices and noises and was with us that entire time. At the cave mouth, there was a buzzing. And you can hear it in the movie, because there were thousands of bees right at the mouth of the cave. You had to walk through this curtain of bees to get in."
As if that weren't challenging enough, Nolan and the cast had to contend with the 40 sheep also part of the scene. "It got pungent," the director recalled with a laugh. "Yeah, it got very, very dank and smelly after a time. But I’ve built a lot of caves before. Shooting in a real cave, the feeling is utterly different. Once the rock is moved across the door and you’re in the dark, it’s very, very oppressive. It gave it a sense of reality."
The cast of The Odyssey includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Lupita Nyong'o, Will Yun Lee, Benny Safdie, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Corey Hawkins, Josh Stewart, Jimmy Gonzales, Maurice Compte, and Logan Marshall-Green.
Shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology, the film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.