The Odyssey is starting to do its best impression of a siren, luring audiences ever closer with its charms, only to present them with horrors beyond imagination. For the first time in his cinematic career, director Christopher Nolan has crafted a movie set in a fantastical and mythological world. While The Prestige had a few fantastical elements sprinkled throughout its narrative (especially towards the end), The Odyssey will fully mark a departure from Nolan's comfort zone. Fortunately, it looks like the risk paid off in the biggest way possible.
Early reactions to The Odyssey are over the moon, with audiences praising its horror-centric sequences. After all, the film is an adaptation of Homer's Odyssey—a tale where Odysseus (Matt Damon) tries to return home to his wife and son after the Trojan War. It may seem like a simple journey, but that's far from the case. Odysseus' adventure lasts 10 years, as horrific monsters constantly get in the way of his end goal.
Christopher Nolan has revealed that he drew inspiration from Guillermo del Toro to bring the creatures in The Odyssey to life, but which ones will make it into the final cut? While we'll have to wait for the film's release to find out, here are the five monsters that have a chance of stealing the spotlight.
1. The Cyclops Polyphemus
Polyphemus is one of the creatures officially confirmed to appear in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, already haunting Odysseus (and even audiences) in the trailers released so far. In the books, Polyphemus is a cannibalistic Cyclops who also happens to be the son of one of the most powerful gods on Mount Olympus, Poseidon.
Without getting too much into spoiler territory, Odysseus' encounter with Polyphemus is the catalyst for many tragedies in the source material. As such, we could expect a similar tale to play out on the big screen. Interestingly enough, Polyphemus will be portrayed by Bill Irwin, who also voiced TARS in Christopher Nolan's Interstellar. So, with a bit of luck, the actor's role in The Odyssey will be just as memorable.
2. Laestrygonians
While we're on the note of giant, cannibalistic creatures, we should talk about the Laestrygonians. In the source material, they are responsible for sinking 11 out of 12 ships in Odysseus' fleet. To make matters worse, these terrifying creatures eat many of the protagonist's crew members, making them a true force to be reckoned with.
While unconfirmed, fans have speculated that the giant, armored creatures that have appeared in trailers and posters for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey are the Laestrygonians. They are seen fighting Odysseus' crew in a forest and throwing some of them with enough force to snap a tree in half. So, not only will they terrorize everyone who reads Homer's books, but also audiences worldwide (and in IMAX formats).
3. Charybdis
Audiences who watched the trailer for The Odyssey released back in May were treated to a horrifying sight. Around the 2:16 mark, Odysseus' ship is seen navigating near a large whirlpool of water. This is all but confirmed to be the work of Charybdis, a sea monster that swallows large amounts of water three times a day before vomiting it up, creating impossible scenarios for sailors to navigate.
It's likely that we won't see Charybdis as a physical monster in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. After all, Charybdis is depicted as a living whirlpool in some adaptations, so it isn't far-fetched to assume we'll see a similar scenario on the big screen. Fortunately, there's a silver lining: This terrifying monster isn't alone in the sea, and its companion is bound to steal the spotlight.
4. Scylla
Let's go back to the trailer for The Odyssey released in May. Around the 2:18 mark, we see a member of Odysseus' crew suddenly grabbed from the ship by what appears to be a huge serpent head. This scene alone suggests that we're about to see the live-action depiction of Scylla, perhaps the biggest and most terrifying monster on this list.
There's a bit of confusion as to what Scylla really looks like in the source material. Some adaptations give the monster a human form with six serpent heads attached to it. Others include a reptilian tail and feature dog heads instead. However, one thing remains consistent: Scylla is a giant monster hunting the seas. As such, it will be interesting to see how Christopher Nolan depicts this creature, but it is safe to say it will haunt us long after we leave movie theaters.
5. Sirens
If Pirates of the Caribbean has taught us anything, it is that any good fantasy movie featuring a crew sailing across the seas is bound to come across Sirens. Hopefully, The Odyssey won't be the exception.
In Homer's Odyssey, the Sirens are depicted as part-woman, part-bird creatures who lure sailors with their enchanting singing. Unlike the other monsters on this list, there is no concrete evidence that we'll actually see the Sirens in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. The only hint that we get of their appearance comes courtesy of the film's trailer released back in May, around the 1:59 mark. There's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment where Odysseus screams while he appears to be tied to his ship's mast.
In the source material, Odysseus' crew uses beeswax to block their ears, successfully preventing them from being lured by the Sirens' singing. Odysseus was the only one who was able to hear their song, but he was tied to the ship's mast to prevent falling into the creatures' trap. If this scene is adapted on the big screen, then one thing is for sure: the audio design will be completely surreal.
The Odyssey will be released in theaters and IMAX on July 17, 2026.
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