Whenever Christopher Nolan flexes his action muscles, you’re in for a cinematic treat. Think about the Batpod chase in The Dark Knight, or the spinning hallway shootout in Inception, or the forwards-backwards timey-wimey battle at the end of Tenet. And after Oppenheimer found the legendary director in talkier territory, The Odyssey is an all-out action-packed summer movie – an epic spectacle, adapting one of the most foundational stories ever told, in which Matt Damon’s Odysseus faces monsters, his own demons, and the plots of nefarious suitors as he makes the long journey home to his family in Ithaca. And just wait until you meet the Laestrygonians.
One of the toughest tests in Odysseus’ journey comes courtesy of massive marauding giants, who make short work of our hero’s men – and Empire got to see the action unfold, visiting the set last July in Scotland’s Culbin Forest. Among the practical techniques Nolan used to shoot the all-out assault – many of which are being kept under wraps – are forced-perspective illusions and wirework that sent stuntmen hurling through the air, all captured by seven IMAX cameras. For the director, it’s all about the disorientation – and the danger – it presents to our protagonist. “It was a fun sequence to shoot,” Nolan tells Empire during post-production. “It’s really a thing of trying to get across the brutality. They’re warriors, and their weapons and armour is of a level of sophistication that Odysseus has never seen.”
As with Odysseus’ other fantastical encounters, these set-pieces all serve to challenge him on a character level, while also providing audience thrills. “The point of the Laestrygonians in the story, as in the original poem, is to show in some ways the questionable nature of Odysseus’ leadership. To give his men reason to doubt him,” the director explains. “And so what they come up against leaves them all shaken.” Get ready: a new Christopher Nolan action all-timer is coming.
Read Empire’s full The Odyssey feature – going on set for two days; speaking to Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson; spending time with Christopher Nolan in post-production; and much more – in the August 2026 issue, on sale Thursday July 2. Pre-order a copy online here – and choose one of three collectible covers. The Odyssey comes to cinemas from July 17.
