The Prologue of Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” Currently in Cinemas: Here’s How to View


Seven months are left until Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” debuts for audiences, but fans can experience the initial six minutes of the historical epic in theaters this month. The prologue is screened before the IMAX 70mm re-releases of Ryan Coogler’s “Sinners” and Paul Thomas Anderson’s “One Battle After Another,” which started Friday and will continue for a week. A mere 10 theaters globally—eight in the U.S., one in Canada, and one in the U.K.—offer IMAX 70mm, which is Nolan’s favored format for the film. “The Odyssey” marks the first blockbuster filmed exclusively with IMAX film cameras.

Beginning Dec. 19, the “The Odyssey” prologue will be presented before all IMAX showings of James Cameron’s “Avatar: Fire and Ash,” not limited to the 70mm format. Non-IMAX showings will feature a complete trailer instead of the prologue.

For those who can’t attend, reports from outlets such as Variety and World of Reel indicate that the prologue portrays the conclusion of the Trojan war, featuring Greek troops infiltrating Troy concealed within a wooden horse. Odysseus (Matt Damon) orchestrates this plan. The segment illustrates the tense anticipation inside the horse and a large-scale battle upon their exit, with Damon wielding a bow and arrow. The narrative is presented as a story recounted by King Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) to Odysseus’ son Telemachus (Tom Holland). The cast includes Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Mia Goth, although they do not appear in the prologue. An animatronic cyclops is also showcased. “The Odyssey” is set to premiere on July 18.