Cillian Murphy Jokes He Has “ROMO” About Not Being in Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’
Cillian Murphy has been part of so many Christopher Nolan films that it’s almost strange to imagine one without him. But the Irish actor won’t be appearing in Nolan’s upcoming epic, The Odyssey, and he’s taking it in good spirits.
Speaking with Variety, Murphy laughed about not joining the project. “I have ROMO: relief of missing out. No, I can’t wait to see it. If any director in the world could tackle The Odyssey, it’s going to be Christopher Nolan.”
Cillian Murphy on #TheOdyssey being the rare Christopher Nolan movie he is not starring in:
— Variety (@Variety) September 6, 2025
"I have ROMO: 'Relief of missing out.' No, I can't wait to see it. If any director in the world could tackle 'The Odyssey,' it's going to be Christopher Nolan."
Variety #TIFF Studio pic.twitter.com/mcW6qII3f9
Nolan’s new film is a huge adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek poem. Universal Pictures is releasing it in July 2026, and the movie is already being called one of Nolan’s biggest undertakings. Matt Damon plays Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who has to fight his way back home after the Trojan War.
Along the way, he runs into legendary figures like the Cyclops, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe.
The cast is stacked with familiar names. Alongside Damon, the film includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal, among many others.
Theron takes on the role of Circe, while Holland plays Telemachus, Odysseus’s son.
Nolan started work on the film after the success of Oppenheimer in 2023. According to reports, he began writing it shortly after the awards season and teamed up again with Universal. Filming took place from February to August 2025 across Greece, Morocco, Italy, Scotland, Iceland, and even the Western Sahara.
With a budget of around 250 million dollars, it’s the most expensive film Nolan has ever made and the first blockbuster to be shot entirely on 70mm IMAX cameras.
Fans already got a taste of what’s to come when a first-look photo of Matt Damon in costume was released earlier this year. The image stirred debate among historians about how accurate the armor was to the time period described in Homer’s poems.
Behind the camera, Nolan brought back some of his trusted collaborators, including costume designer Ellen Mirojnick and composer Ludwig Göransson, both of whom worked with him on Oppenheimer.
As for Murphy, he’s happy to cheer from the sidelines this time around. After so many collaborations with Nolan, from Batman Begins to Oppenheimer, his absence will be noticed, but judging by his words, he’s just as excited as the audience to see how the story of Odysseus comes to life.
The Odyssey sails into theaters on July 17, 2026.
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