03-07-2025
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey Trailer Is Already Sparking Debate For This 1 Reason
The trailer for Christopher Nolan's latest movie isn't even officially online yet, but it's still got plenty of people talking for one specific reason.
After the global success of Oppenheimer – which swept the 2024 Oscars with seven wins, including Best Film – the British director is venturing to ancient Greece for his next project, which will be an epic adaptation of The Odyssey.
The classic story follows Odysseus (played by Matt Damon), the king of Ithica, and his perilous 10-year journey to return home from the Trojan War, during which he encounters the wrath of gods and many mythical creatures.
Nolan's movie boasts a seriously star-studded cast, including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Mia Goth, Elliot Page, Benny Safdie and countless others.
While the trailer hasn't been released online just yet, it has started showing exclusively in cinemas, but only ahead of screenings of Jurassic World Rebirth.
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According to the Independent, Nolan's Odyssey trailer opens with a shot of the ocean, along with a voiceover which says: 'Darkness. Zeus's law smashed to pieces. I'm without a king since my master died. He knew it was an unwinnable war. And then, somehow, he won it.'
It then cuts to a scene with Spider-Man actor Tom as Odysseus' son Telemachus, conversing with an unknown character, portrayed by Jon Bernthal.
Despite its intentional cinema-exclusive release, that hasn't stopped people from recording the trailer and sharing it online illegally, after it was reportedly shown for the first time on Tuesday.
It has since swiftly made the rounds online, causing quite the stir among cinephiles. But the reason it's got people talking isn't for its impressive cinematography or A-list cast, but rather the American accents that the characters exhibit.
While it's not exactly unusual to hear American accents in Hollywood adaptations, people have particularly strong feelings in this instance due to the story's ancient Greek origins (not to mention the fact that Tom Holland is, of course, British).
It previously seemed the director was committed to staying true to the source material, after plans were revealed to shoot at the real locations 'across the world', including one Sicilian island where Homer is believed to have envisioned the story taking place – which would explain why fans can't quite look past those accents just yet…
the use of american accents in christopher nolan's the odyssey…
— trish (@ultragloss) July 2, 2025
the american accents on the odyssey teaser
— ୨୧ (@certifiedhatr) July 1, 2025
Saw the Odyssey teaser and the American accent immediately took me out of it…
— J Δ X (@Runaway_Wiccan) July 1, 2025
The Odyssey with American accents is certainly a choice
— a room without a view 🍉 (@woodlandvvitch) July 3, 2025
everyone in the odyssey has an american accent......... flop
— lauren ⁴⁴ (@folklorepaltrow) July 1, 2025
Now why has everyone got an American accent in the Odyssey teaser…
— Kat- head of jq's security team 🍉🐈 (@KatTargaryens) July 1, 2025
Nah I'm rattled. Why is every character in The Odyssey trailer AMERICAN?!?!?!!! Gtfo my face
— Jaime Lannister (@TheNamesGemma) July 2, 2025
American accents can be done well in mythological settings (like in God of War) but the odyssey teaser is making me nervous omg
— b (@glennspizza) July 1, 2025
people surprised nolan went with an american accent for the odyssey as if he didn't hire majority american actors for the film
— mari (@blythsdaya) July 1, 2025
The Odyssey will be the Dunkirk director's first movie since the success of Oppenheimer, which famously went head-to-head with Barbie in the summer of 2023 – in a battle which quickly became known as Barbenheimer.
While Greta Gerwig's Barbie may have won the box office battle, Oppenheimer dominated awards season the following year.
The Odyssey is currently slated for release on 17 July 2026, so it'll be a while before fans can make up their minds on the movie – and those American-ised accents.
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