Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey”: A Trojan Horse Re-imagined

At the New York premiere on July 14, 2026, a 40-foot wooden horse dominated the red-carpet backdrop, foreshadowing the film’s most talked-about set piece. Nolan’s adaptation places viewers inside the Trojan horse for an extended, claustrophobic scene that depicts Greeks drowning in rising tides, sharing limited air, and enduring “urinate and defecate on one another.” The sequence culminates with the hidden warriors escaping at night, slashing Trojan guards, and forcing the city gates open. The scene, shot entirely in IMAX 70 mm, has been described as “one of the most chaotic, exhilarating and unforgettable sequences” in the film.

CNN

Earlier cinematic versions—1956’s *Helen of Troy*, 1961’s *The Trojan War*, and the 1997 TV miniseries *The Odyssey*—showed the horse on wheels and never entered the interior. Scholars note that “the combat is portrayed rather theatrically, with no blood and gore” (Max Nelson, University of Windsor). Even the 2004 *Troy* (directed by Wolfgang Petersen) only hinted at the interior, offering brief shots of soldiers’ eyes. Nolan’s decision to depict the cramped, “hellish” interior marks the first full-scale visualisation of the Greeks’ suffering inside the statue.

CNN

• Christopher Nolan – Director, long-time holder of the horse image, saying he “had an image of that horse sinking into the sand in my head for 20 years.”

CNN

• Matt Damon – Odysseus, who described the shoot as an improvised lesson: “We’re just going to cram in there and figure it out.”

People Magazine

• John Leguizamo – Eumaeus, who witnessed Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema climbing inside the structure with the cast.

CNN

• Max Nelson – Associate professor of Greek and Roman studies, highlighted the novelty of showing “the harsh conditions for the Greeks waiting for days inside the Trojan horse.”

CNN

• Kim Shelton – UC Berkeley professor, contextualised the horse’s long-standing mythic depictions and praised the 2004 *Troy* design for its “ramshackle” realism.

CNN

The set was built as a hollow wooden shell large enough for roughly 20 actors and an IMAX camera. Damon recalled asking Nolan days before filming, “How are you going to do the horse?” to which Nolan replied, “Yeah, I don’t know.” The crew then “jammed in there and figured it out,” a process that also saw Jon Bernthal (Menelaus) half-submerged in freezing Moroccan water, enduring severe shivering before Nolan ordered him to be warmed.

People Magazine

Opening weekend, the film earned $51.2 million on Friday across 3,900 North American screens, on track for a $120 million-plus domestic haul and a projected $257.8 million worldwide total. IMAX screenings alone are expected to contribute $30 million domestically. These figures would make *The Odyssey* the biggest R-rated opening of 2026 and Nolan’s strongest global debut outside the Batman franchise.

Hollywood Reporter

A segment of right-wing online commentators framed the film as a cultural “psyop,” targeting its “woke” casting of Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page. One X user labeled Nolan “an enemy of the west.” The backlash, amplified on platforms linked to Elon Musk, called for boycott campaigns, though early ticket sales and sold-out IMAX showings suggest limited effect.

Variety Magazine

• “The harsh conditions for the Greeks waiting for days inside the Trojan horse have not been shown on screen before,” — Max Nelson, Associate Professor

CNN

• “I’ve had an image of that horse sinking into the sand in my head for 20 years,” — Christopher Nolan, Director

CNN

• “He goes, ‘We’re just going to cram in there and figure it out.’” — Matt Damon, Actor (Odysseus)

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• “I couldn’t believe that. I was like, Wow, this man is a leader,” — John Leguizamo, Actor (Eumaeus)

CNN

*The Odyssey* opens nationwide on July 17, 2026. Studios have scheduled a quiet week of releases thereafter, with the next major wide-release slated for Sony’s *Spider-Man: Brand New Day* on July 31.

Hollywood Reporter