Matt Damon says 'The Odyssey' could be Hollywood’s last chance at a movie this big

Matt Damon suggested that productions like 'The Odyssey' are becoming a 'dying breed'

Matt Damon believes Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey represents something increasingly rare in modern filmmaking: a massive, original Hollywood epic made on a scale that few studios are willing to attempt today.

According to Far Out Magazine, Damon suggested that productions like The Odyssey are becoming a dying breed, describing Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic as the kind of large-scale cinematic undertaking that may not be possible much longer in an industry increasingly dominated by franchises and risk-averse studio decisions.

The actor, who stars as Odysseus in the film, previously told Time that he approached the role as if it were “the last movie I'd ever do”, not because he plans to retire, but because opportunities for actors in their mid-50s to lead a production of this scale are exceptionally rare. Damon described the project as a once-in-a-lifetime experience and one of the most rewarding of his career.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey is one of the most ambitious productions ever mounted by the Oscar-winning filmmaker. The film was shot entirely using IMAX cameras and filmed across multiple countries, including Greece, Italy, Iceland, Morocco and Scotland. Nolan has described the production as an effort to capture the physical reality of Odysseus’ journey through real locations rather than relying heavily on digital environments.

The scale of the production has become a major talking point ahead of the film's release. Nolan revealed that the crew shot more than two million feet of film and spent months filming at sea and in remote locations to recreate the ancient world. The director has said he wanted to bring a level of realism and spectacle rarely seen in modern mythological cinema.

Damon leads an all-star ensemble that includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o and Jon Bernthal. The cast's star power has only heightened expectations for what many analysts already view as one of the biggest film events of 2026.

The project also continues Nolan’s remarkable run following the success of Oppenheimer. After winning Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director, the filmmaker turned to Homer’s classic tale of Odysseus’ decade-long journey home following the Trojan War.

With a reported budget of around $250 million and unprecedented demand for early IMAX screenings, The Odyssey is already being tipped as one of the most significant theatrical releases of the year. For Damon, however, the film represents more than just another blockbuster, it is proof that Hollywood can still take creative risks on grand, original storytelling. Whether projects of this size continue to be made in the future remains an open question, which is why the actor sees The Odyssey as a rare and potentially historic achievement.