Matt Damon Tackled The Odyssey To Power Christopher Nolan’s New Epic, Co-Star Reveals

Christopher Nolan is tackling Homer next, and Matt Damon basically lived in ancient Greece to make it happen. He spent six months shooting The Odyssey as Odysseus, and according to two people who know Nolan World very well, he never lost the plot or the gratitude along the way.

Big canvas, bigger grin

Benny Safdie, who popped up as Edward Teller in Oppenheimer and is back for The Odyssey (rumor mill says he is playing Agamemnon), sounded almost dazed trying to describe what Nolan pulled off.

"If I explained to you the scale of what it was and how it happened, you wouldn't even believe me. It really was remarkable to see this period of time come to life the way that it did. It was amazing."

Safdie says he was in and out during the shoot and watched Damon, who is steering a very packed ensemble, grind through the saga and still radiate enthusiasm. Translation: months of sun, sweat, and ship disasters, and the guy kept saying this was the greatest gig.

Blunt on the outside, still hyped

Emily Blunt, another Oppenheimer alum, is not in The Odyssey. She made that clear, with a wink.

"Listen, Chris and I are gonna have chats, that's what I'm gonna say."

Even from the sidelines, she says she gets goosebumps thinking about Nolan doing Homer, and that Damon is still openly thankful he got to lead it. Which, not for nothing, tells you how all-consuming the shoot was.

The Smashing Machine connection (and the handshake heard round Film Twitter)

All this Odyssey chatter came while Safdie and Blunt were out talking up The Smashing Machine. It is an A24 biopic about UFC pioneer Mark Kerr, directed and co-written by Safdie, with Blunt co-starring opposite Dwayne Johnson. Safdie has been building a second career as an actor with directors like Nolan, Paul Thomas Anderson, and Claire Denis, but he stayed behind the camera here.

If you remember their icy Oppenheimer moment where Blunt’s Kitty turns down a handshake from Safdie’s Teller, you are not alone. That meme-y beat stuck with Safdie when he was casting Kerr’s wife, Dawn Staples. He already knew Johnson and Blunt are close offscreen, which he felt would help with a relationship on film that gets messy. Strong trust first, then you can really lean into the complication.

What to know, fast

• Nolan’s The Odyssey adapts Homer’s epic and is set for July 17, 2026.
• Matt Damon plays Odysseus and filmed for roughly six months, leading a hefty ensemble.
• Benny Safdie returns with Nolan, reportedly as Agamemnon; he calls the production’s scale unbelievable.
• Emily Blunt is not in The Odyssey but says she’s amped to see it.
• The Smashing Machine (A24) opens October 3, with Dwayne Johnson as Mark Kerr and Blunt as Dawn Staples; Safdie directs and co-writes.

Short version: Nolan went huge, Damon went the distance, and the people who have seen pieces of it are still buzzing. Mark your calendar for July 2026, and in the meantime, The Smashing Machine hits first this October.