NEWSChristopher Nolan Pushes Back on Matt Damon’s 'Nostalgic' Take About Making 'The Odyssey'
Christopher Nolan rejected Matt Damon's 'nostalgic' take on The Odyssey, saying cinema continues to evolve with new voices.
July 14 2026, Updated 9:06 a.m. ET
Christopher Nolan challenged Matt Damon's view of The Odyssey as a "nostalgic" filmmaking experience.
"I think I know what [Damon] was driving at, because it does seem like a long time since somebody made a film like this in this type of way, where you travel the world, get together a cast of thousands and so on," Nolan told The Telegraph.
The Oscar-winning director responded to Damon’s comments that big productions are becoming rare because fewer large-scale movies are being made today.
"But there's a defeatist aspect of viewing it that way that I don't agree with," Nolan revealed.
Christopher Nolan Said Cinema Was Still Thriving
Christopher Nolan said he disagreed with viewing 'The Odyssey' as proof that epic filmmaking belonged to the past.
The Oppenheimer director argued that the film industry is far from fading, pointing to the success of newer projects and emerging filmmakers.
"I think cinema is vital and essential and continues to transform itself — we’ve got all these great new young voices in movies, making the medium their own and moving it forward," Nolan said.
He also rejected the idea that modern viewers have lost interest in ambitious films.
"This is why I never bought into the arguments that young audiences’ attention spans are too fried to enjoy a three-hour Greek epic," Nolan admitted.
He continued, "Those films are so mysterious and ruminative. I mean, parts of Backrooms are like David Lynch at his most obscure. And yet young people can’t get enough of them."
Christopher Nolan rejected the idea that younger audiences lack the attention span for a three-hour Greek epic.
Earlier, Nolan discussed artificial intelligence and younger generations' response to the technology during an interview.
"I’ve never seen a more rapid wholesale dismissal of a supposedly foundational jump in technology in my lifetime," the 55-year-old told AFP, as reported by The Guardian.
He added, "So much energy has been expended on bringing in AI, but if you look at that generation’s reaction, they’re utterly rejecting it."
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Matt Damon Called the Production 'Really Hard'
Matt Damon praised Nolan’s leadership on 'The Odyssey,' calling directing the toughest job on the demanding production.
During an appearance on Today earlier this month, the actor recalled that Nolan warned him the film would be "really hard."
Damon said watching Nolan lead the production helped keep the cast motivated, even during difficult filming conditions.
"Directing is by far the hardest job on set," Damon said.
He continued, "When you’re out there kind of in the middle of a storm and you’re soaked and you’re cold and you’re like, ‘Man, I’m in discomfort right now,’ it is helpful to turn and see the person with the harder job...looking like a drowned rat, just as cold, just as wet, and never complaining."
'The Odyssey' Features a Star-Studded Cast
Christopher Nolan filmed 'The Odyssey' across several real-world locations while bringing Homer’s epic poem to the big screen.
The upcoming adaptation of Homer’s epic Greek poem features a large ensemble cast, including Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Samantha Morton, Elliot Page, Charlize Theron, and others.
The Odyssey was filmed on location across multiple countries, including Morocco, Greece, Turkey, Italy, and Scotland, and is set to arrive in theaters on Friday, July 17.
