Why Matt Damon Calls The Odyssey the Defining Role of His Career
Matt Damon calls his upcoming film The Odyssey the pinnacle of his three-decade Hollywood career, revealing why this epic adventure means more to him than any role before it.
Alright, so Matt Damon has been in this business for over three decades—which means he's survived everything from Good Will Hunting to that infamous ponytail in The Great Wall. But now, according to Damon himself, he's finally hit the 'pinnacle' of his career. The project? Of all things, it's not a slick Boston crime thriller or another Bourne sequel. It's Christopher Nolan's big-budget adaptation of The Odyssey. Yep, that ancient Greek epic you probably half-remember from high school English class.
How Did We Get Here?
Damon and Ben Affleck—Hollywood's most persistent buddy duo—showed up on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon to plug their upcoming Netflix movie, The Rip. Amidst the usual banter, Damon dropped this nugget about The Odyssey: working on Nolan's new epic is, in his words, 'absolutely the pinnacle of my entire career.' Not exactly a throwaway line from someone who's been around the block.
Nolan’s Epic (And Insanely Intense) Production
Damon explained that filming The Odyssey wasn’t just challenging; it was relentless. He joked about Affleck being the only visitor during six months of shooting, and not because they're keeping things Hollywood-secretive. More like, no one actually had time for guests. According to Damon, the scope was so huge that every single location was the hardest he’s ever worked at—on any movie. In fact, even a 'typical' day on this set apparently put every day on his other films to shame.
'It was such an ambitious project that the amount of work that needed to be done, there was just no time for anything else. I’ve never, ever done a movie that just required every single person to give the maximum effort.'
That probably means Nolan is in peak-perfectionist mode, somehow orchestrating an army of A-listers and crew—even by his own high standards.
Who’s Actually Starring in This Thing?
So Damon steps into the sandals of Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca making his long, monster-filled trip home after the Trojan War. And he’s definitely not alone. Check out this frankly ridiculous cast:
- Matt Damon (Odysseus himself, naturally)
- Tom Holland
- Anne Hathaway
- Robert Pattinson
- Lupita Nyong'o
- Zendaya
- Jon Bernthal
- Benny Safdie
- John Leguizamo
- Himesh Patel
- Mia Goth
- Charlize Theron
That’s a lineup that could probably sell tickets on its own, even without Nolan orchestrating everything at DEFCON 1 levels of intensity.
What’s the Big Deal?
If you missed the memo, this is Nolan’s big first swing since he cleaned up at the Oscars with Oppenheimer. He’s writing and directing The Odyssey, with his longtime producing sidekick Emma Thomas also on board. Homer’s ancient poem gets the full Nolan treatment, which based on past results could mean time-bending, massive set pieces, and a lot of really serious stares.
Mark Your Calendar
The Odyssey is set to premiere on July 17, 2026. So you’ve got plenty of time to (re)read the Cliff’s Notes before the trailer drops.