Cillian Murphy Admits He's Thrilled To Miss Nolan's The Odyssey

Of all the names loading up Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, the one you might expect and will not find: Cillian Murphy. And yes, he noticed. No drama, though. He is not salty about sitting this one out.

Wait, no Murphy in Nolan's Odyssey?

Nolan is tackling the Greek epic with a stacked lineup: Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, and Jon Bernthal are all aboard. Given the inside-baseball history here, Murphy being MIA is a little surprising. He has worked with Nolan six times, ending with Oppenheimer, which netted Oscars for both of them. So if anyone felt entitled to a callback, it would be him.

Murphy's take: ROMO, not FOMO

Speaking to Variety while promoting his upcoming Netflix film Steve, Murphy said he is genuinely happy to watch from the seats this time. He even coined a term for it and, honestly, it fits.

"I have ROMO: 'Relief of missing out'."

He added that he cannot wait to see what Nolan does with The Odyssey and that if anyone can pull off a version of Odysseus' decade-long trek home, it is him. Murphy also called Nolan one in a million, said the director has been a huge part of his life as an actor, and made it clear he is excited to see the final cut rather than star in it.

The guy is busy anyway

Scheduling probably did not help. Murphy's calendar is already packed, so squeezing in a ten-year voyage home would be a big ask. Here is what he has on deck:

• Steve (Netflix) — due out this year.
• Peaky Blinders: The Immortal Man — the feature film, with Murphy back as Tommy Shelby.
• 28 Years Later: The Bone Temple — he is confirmed to appear; it opens January 16, 2026, and dropped a new trailer earlier this week.

When we actually see The Odyssey

Nolan's take sets sail on July 17, 2026. Murphy will be in the audience with the rest of us, which, based on how he is talking about it, is exactly where he wants to be this time.