One of the biggest films of 2026 (and perhaps the decade) is Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic, The Odyssey. The story picks up after Homer’s other epic, The Iliad, which tells the story of the Trojan War. The Odyssey continues after the war, as Odysseus makes his long journey home to Greece. But along the way, more perils and mythic legends await him.
For fans who want the full story, check out 2004’s Troy before watching The Odyssey. The movie is based on The Iliad and stars Brad Pitt as Achilles and Sean Bean as Odysseus. The film adaptation of The Odyssey will see Matt Damon taking over the role of Odysseus and joined by a massive ensemble cast that includes everyone from Tom Holland to Anne Hathaway and more. But where have you seen The Odyssey cast before? And what are some of their must-watch movies and shows? Read on to find out, plus discover where they’re all streaming right now.
Matt Damon as Odysseus
With a career spanning 40 years, Matt Damon is one of the most accomplished people in Hollywood. You probably know him as an actor, but he’s also an accomplished filmmaker and screenwriter. So far, he’s earned five Oscar nominations and nine Golden Globe noms, and there’s a good chance The Odyssey will add to his list of accolades.
Most fans will probably recognize Damon from blockbuster hits like The Martian (2015), where he plays a stranded astronaut, or Oppenheimer (2023), where he plays director of the Manhattan Project, Leslie Groves. But Damon’s decade-spanning career began with hits in the ‘90s, like Kevin Smith’s comedy epic Dogma (1999), and of course, the moving drama Good Will Hunting (1997), about a young mathematics genius mentored by his therapist (Robin Williams).
One to Watch: Not only did Damon star in Good Will Hunting, but he and Ben Affleck co-wrote the film and even earned an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay.
Tom Holland as Telemachus
Fans know Tom Holland best as Peter Parker (aka Spider-Man) in the MCU. He originated the role in 2016’s Captain America: Civil War before getting his own movie the following year with Spider-Man: Homecoming. That’s where he first co-starred alongside his future fiancée Zendaya, who also joins him in The Odyssey cast.
Aside from Spider-Man, Holland is best known for starring in the film adaptation of Uncharted (2022), where he portrays the iconic video game character, Nathan Drake. He also got lots of attention for his role in The Crowded Room (2023), about a man with multiple personalities on trial for a shooting. While the series wasn’t popular with critics, it was a hit with viewers.
One to Watch: If you can only watch one, it’s gotta be 2021’s Spider-Man: No Way Home, so you can see Holland’s Spider-Man come face-to-face with past Spider-Men, Andrew Garfield and Toby Maguire.
Zendaya as Athena
Before breaking out in the MCU’s Spider-Man franchise alongside Holland, Zendaya got her start as a Disney girl, starring in the shows Shake It Up (2010) and K.C. Undercover (2015). But her most popular series these days is Euphoria (2019), where she stars as Rue, a drug addicted teenager who becomes a dealer and struggles with her social life. Full of sex, drugs, and drama, Euphoria became a massive success for HBO and showed that Zendaya had graduated from her innocent Disney persona.
She’s also known for her role in the Dune franchise (2021-2026) and for starring in Luca Guadagnino’s steamy tennis drama, Challengers (2024). The role earned her numerous accolades, including a Golden Globe nomination.
One to Watch: Since much of Zendaya’s work is series or franchises, if you just want to pick one, make it Challengers. Not only is the movie tense, taut, and sexy, but Zendaya’s character is complex and conniving.
Anne Hathaway as Penelope
The Odyssey won’t be Anne Hathaway’s first time working with Nolan. She starred in his sci-fi epic Interstellar (2014) and the finale of his Batman trilogy, The Dark Knight Rises (2012). But she’s still best known for her role in The Devil Wears Prada, where she stars as a budding journalist who finds herself working at the fashion magazine Runway, under its oppressive matriarch, Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep).
Hathaway is also an Oscar winner, scoring a Best Supporting Actress win for her role in Les Misérables (2012) as Fantine. Before all that, she broke out in Disney’s hit comedy The Princess Diaries (2001), where she played nerdy teenager Mia, who one day discovers she’s actually the princess of a small, faraway nation.
One to Watch: With the sequel coming out later this year, you need to check out The Devil Wears Prada. While Streep steals the show the entire film, Hathaway’s character evolves a lot throughout the movie, proving that The Devil Wears Prada is so much more than a “chick flick.”
Robert Pattinson as Antinous
Pattinson is best known for starring in the Twilight saga (2008-2012) as the teen vampire Edward Cullen. Since then, he’s joined the DC Universe and portrayed Bruce Wayne himself in The Batman (2022). He’ll also be reprising his role in the 2027 sequel. Other hit Pattinson movies include the gritty A24 horror noir The Lighthouse (2019) and the sci-fi hit Mickey 17 (2025).
One to Watch: You need to check out The Batman to see how Pattinson shed his soapy Twilight image and took to the grimy, grungy streets of Gotham.
Charlize Theron as Circe
Charlize Theron is a prominent actress who has been starring in films for almost 40 years. She’s earned two Oscar nominations for the Fox News tell-all Bombshell (2019) and the biopic North Country (2005). She also won the Best Actress award once for her role in Monster (2003), where she portrayed Aileen Wuornos, a sex worker-turned-murderer who sought revenge against the men who had abused her since early childhood.
On top of her lauded roles, Theron is also known for massive blockbuster hits like playing the Evil Queen in 2012’s Snow White and the Huntsman (and its sequel) and Mad Max: Fury Road (2016). In 2017, she also joined the Fast and the Furious franchise (2017-2024) as Cipher.
One to Watch: With it being her Oscar-winning role, you need to check out Monster. Not only is she phenomenal in it, but it tells a gripping, painful true story about an infamous female serial killer.
John Leguizamo as Eumaeus
John Leguizamo has had a wildly varied career, starring in everything from campy queer hits like To Wong Foo (1995) to superhero films like Spawn (1997), and even the hit Baz Luhrmann musical, Moulin Rouge! (2001). On top of that, he’s also an accomplished voice actor, portraying characters in movies like Encanto (2021) and voicing Sid in the Ice Age franchise (2002-2027).
One to Watch: Fans should definitely check out Leguizamo’s turn as Luigi in 1993’s Super Mario Bros. It’s nothing like the animated film and instead depicts the Mushroom Kingdom as a grimy, underground cyberpunk world. It’s totally wild and totally ‘90s.
Mia Goth as Melantho
Mia Goth is still a relative newcomer to stardom. Her breakout role was in the 2018 remake of Suspiria, but she took a bit of a hiatus during the COVID years, returning to cinemas in 2022 for the horror hit X. She then went on to star in the entire trilogy, leading both Pearl (2022) and MaXXXine (2024). She’s also earned ample praise for her role as Lady Elizabeth in Guillermo del Toro’s adaptation of Frankenstein (2025).
One to Watch: Most fans agree that the best movie in the X trilogy is Pearl. Set as a prequel, the film tells the murderous origins of Pearl.
Lupita Nyong'o in a Still Undisclosed Role
Lupia Nyong’o broke out as a star in the 2013 biopic 12 Years a Slave, about a Black man who was kidnapped and sold into slavery in the South. In the film, Nyong’o plays the enslaved Patsey, who became one of the most emotionally-charged characters.
Nyong’o is also known for starring in the Marvel superhero film Black Panther (2018) and the Star Wars sequel trilogy as Maz Kanata. Horror fans will also recognize her for starring in Jordan Peele’s thriller Us, where she starred as both a mother and her tethered alter, Red.
One to Watch: With a third film on the way, fans should definitely check out Nyong’o’s turn as Nakia in Black Panther and its sequel, Wakanda Forever (2022).
