Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey has been the talk of the town since last year. The acclaimed filmmaker sure knows how to drum up buzz for his movies just on his name alone, but his latest epic has fans flocking to the theaters in droves. Everything from its star-studded cast to its adaptation of the titular Homer epic poem to its sweeping visuals makes it the theatrical event of the summer.
Nolan’s films aren’t known for being breezy 90-minute films. When you watch the auteur’s works on screen, you know you’re strapping in for a lengthy—but worth it—production. So, just how long is The Odyssey?
It’s almost three hours, clocking in at 2 hours and 52 minutes for the runtime. The 172-minute movie is actually the second-longest of his career, with 2023’s Oppenheimer sitting at 3 hours on the nose.
For the uninitiated, The Odyssey follows Odysseus, king of Ithaca, as he embarks on a dangerous journey back home following the Trojan War. “Crossing the Mediterranean Sea with his fellow soldiers, they soon find themselves battling not only the elements, but an array of deadly obstacles and mythical creatures along the way.”
The dazzling epic stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, Samantha Morton as Circe, John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Calypso, Himesh Patel as Eurylochus, Elliot Page as Sinon, Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, and Benny Safdie as Agamemnon. Nolan directed from his own script and produced the film alongside his wife, Emma Thomas, through their production company, Syncopy.
As of writing, The Odyssey boasts glowing reviews, sitting pretty at 96% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer with 311 reviews and 97% on the Popcornmeter.
If you sat through Oppenheimer’s three hours, you can definitely handle The Odyssey. Just make sure to get that bathroom break in before the lights dim (or during the previews).
This story was originally published by Men’s Journal on Jul 17, 2026, where it first appeared in the News section. Add Men’s Journal as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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