On July 16, 2026, "Odissea," the film adaptation of Homer's epic directed by Christopher Nolan, was released in theaters. The film, approximately three hours long, is the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX 70-millimeter film cameras, a format Nolan described as serving audience immersion: «You want the audience to be on the boat with them, while they fear the ocean,» the director told Time magazine. Nolan called the film «the biggest we had ever made.»

The director stated he approached the project driven by passion rather than intellectual reasoning: «You must not be afraid, but be sincere,» he said, explaining that the film's aim is to tell «the return and the effects of wars,» placing the trauma of conflict at the center through the figure of Odysseus.

The cast includes Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Calypso, Robert Pattinson, and Lupita Nyong'o, who plays both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. The casting choices have sparked discussion: some commentators noted a discrepancy between the actors and the imagery traditionally associated with Homeric characters, while others welcomed the diversity of the selection. Critics have been divided between those who appreciated the reading of the poem centered on war trauma and the humanity of the protagonist, and those who challenged perceived narrative anachronisms and a reworking deemed insufficiently faithful to the original text. In particular, it has been observed that the film introduces elements of historiographical awareness attributed to characters that some scholars consider anachronistic, and that the figure of Penelope is characterized with traits regarded as more explicitly assertive than in the Homeric version.

From a technical standpoint, the release generated strong demand for special-format screenings. In Italy, according to data collected from various theaters, tickets for 70-millimeter film screenings sold out rapidly. Only five Italian theaters announced screenings in traditional 70 mm film: the Arcadia in Melzo, the Quattro Fontane in Rome, the Lumière in Bologna, the Metropolitan in Naples, and the Cinergia in Conegliano. However, no theater in Italy is equipped with an IMAX 70 mm system, which combines analog film with an IMAX 15/70 projector and screen: Italian audiences must therefore choose between digital IMAX theaters and the five traditional 70 mm film theaters, the latter offering a more panoramic aspect ratio and a reduced vertical image compared to the original IMAX format.

Abroad, the ticket rush reached even greater proportions. Only 41 theaters worldwide are capable of projecting IMAX 15/70 prints. The BFI IMAX in London sold 28,000 tickets in the first 24 hours of pre-sales, grossing 750,000 pounds, surpassing the record previously held by "Dune: Part Two." In Melbourne, home to the world's largest IMAX 1,43:1 screen, over 30,000 tickets were sold before the release, with audience members traveling from several continents. In the United States, late-night screenings appeared, including shows at 3 a.m. that were nearly sold out in cities such as San Francisco.

The film has fueled a broader debate about the relationship between Hollywood cinema and classical literature. Some reviewers argued that the work preserves the ability to reflect on the enduring significance of Homer's poem, while others expressed reservations about the tendency of mainstream cinema to rework classics according to contemporary sensibilities. The visual and technical quality of the film has been widely acknowledged, while assessments of fidelity to the text and casting choices remain subjects of ongoing discussion.