There are plenty of reasons to be excited about The Odyssey; not only is it set to feature an all-star cast with the likes of Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, and more, but it will deliver perhaps the most ambitious vision of Greek mythology to ever be on the big screen. As if that wasn't enough, one of the most exciting aspects of the upcoming Universal Pictures movie is that it is directed by Christopher Nolan.
Very few directors could manage to generate as much excitement about an upcoming film without even dropping a teaser trailer, but Nolan is certainly one of them. He has an incredible career that spans beloved superhero projects, mind-bending sci-fi narratives, and emotional space adventures. The Oscar-winning director has managed to keep audiences on the edge of their seats for almost three decades now, and he isn't stopping anytime soon. So, in anticipation of The Odyssey's release, here are the five best Christopher Nolan movies you can watch right now.
5. The Prestige
The Prestige may very well be the most unknown movie on this list, but it is every bit as good as the others. Like some of Nolan's best work, it features a non-linear narrative cleverly designed to ensure audiences have many questions throughout most of the film, keeping them engaged and glued to the screen until all the pieces finally fit together right at the very end.
The premise itself of The Prestige is nothing short of genius. It features two magician friends-turned-enemies trying to best each other with increasingly complicated (and dangerous) illusions. But just how far will they take things to ensure their victory? It's poetically fitting for a movie about magicians to act as one big, elaborate illusion filled with twists and turns that are impossible to predict. Better yet: most of these surprises are "revealed" from the very beginning, but that might not become apparent until a second watch.
The Prestige features amazing performances from an all-star cast, which includes Hugh Jackman, Scarlett Johansson, Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Rebecca Hall, and more. Add to that a great score and beautiful sets and wardrobes, and it's easy to see how one of Nolan's earliest works is also one of his best.
4. Oppenheimer
Very few Christopher Nolan projects feature a narrative that doesn't include key science fiction or fantasy plot points, and Oppenheimer is one of them. This biopic explores the story of the "father of the atomic bomb" and the mental repercussions that come with creating such a destructive force. Although most of the historic events told in this tale are well known, the movie is so well crafted that audiences still feel tension and even uncertainty throughout most of its runtime.
Oppenheimer may be a project that is a little different than usual for Christopher Nolan, but it has many of his trademark elements. For starters, it features a "big reveal" at the end in the form of Einstein's words to Robert that will stick with audiences long after the credits roll on the movie. Furthermore, it is incredibly well paced throughout its three-hour runtime. And even though its narrative is grounded in real-life events, it features creative and out-of-the-box elements we've come to expect from Nolan, such as the use of black-and-white sequences.
Since Oppenheimer is Nolan's latest work, it is definitely a must-watch before The Odyssey. But even if the acclaimed director wasn't releasing a new project this year, Oppenheimer is still a must-watch.
3. The Dark Knight
It is no secret that superhero projects have completely taken over TV and movie theaters. Year after year, audiences get multiple releases spanning different genres and starring different characters. That's why it's all the more impressive that The Dark Knight is still considered one of the best superhero movies ever, nearly two decades after it first hit theaters.
It doesn't matter whether you watched Batman Begins or know about the Caped Crusader's comic book history. Anyone can come into The Dark Knight completely blind and experience a mature, complete, and cohesive storyline unlike anything done in a superhero film up until its release in 2008. There isn't an overreliance on spectacle or mind-bending action set pieces because the characters, narrative, and soundtrack are more than enough to get you on the edge of your seat.
The Dark Knight is greatly elevated by its stellar performances, especially that of the late Heath Ledger, who brought the Joker to life. We've since seen other takes on the iconic supervillain, and while every one of them has its own strengths, it isn't far-fetched to say they haven't been as groundbreaking as Ledger's. He brought a lot of seriousness and insanity to the role in a way audiences hadn't seen before, winning a Best Supporting Actor Oscar along the way.
No matter how much time passes or how many other Batman projects are released, The Dark Knight will always be held as one of the best superhero projects ever made, which speaks volumes to the work Nolan did to bring it to life.
2. Interstellar
Interstellar may very well be the most beloved Christopher Nolan movie ever made, and with good reason. A decade after its release, people are still talking about how emotional, mind-bending, and just overall amazing this movie is.
It's always a given that Christopher Nolan projects will feature great cinematography, but no one was prepared for how good Interstellar would look. Even if you were to watch the film without any sound, losing all sense of the story, it would still prove to be a memorable experience. Every frame is breathtaking, from the way the camera captures the giant (and very real) cornfields seen at the beginning of the tale to the scientifically accurate depiction of a black hole. Simply put: this is a visual spectacle at its best.
Interstellar also features amazing performances from its cast. It's impossible not to shed a tear when Matthew McConaughey's character, Cooper, sees the videos of his children and realizes they are nearly his age and that he missed most of their lives. Similarly, Jessica Chastain, Anne Hathaway, and Mackenzie Foy bring their A-game to the movie.
Although Hans Zimmer has composed many incredible scores throughout the years, even he admits his work on Interstellar is the best of his career. So when you mix a breathtaking visual spectacle with profound dialogue, fantastic performances, and a moving score, the result is one of the best films in an astounding directorial career.
1. Inception
Inception has all the elements of Nolan's most iconic movies. It has a human, emotional narrative at its core about a father wanting to see his children again, much like Interstellar. Furthermore, it features mind-bending action sequences that are unlike anything seen on the big screen before... until Tenet came our way. Just like The Prestige, Inception is filled with twists and turns that no one could've anticipated. Additionally, it also includes some members of the casts of Interstellar and The Dark Knight, so extra points for that as well.
Inception showcases Nolan's work at its best. Although the movie has many dream sequences where gravity shifts and people can walk on walls or roofs, most scenes were filmed practically. That means the film's crew had to build entire rigs and sets that could be moved, inclined, or even rotated, and the results definitely paid off. That's why the visual spectacle in Inception still holds up more than a decade later.
The practicality of Inception isn't the only thing to praise. The film also brings to life a highly ambitious script that was 10 years in the making. Granted, a rewatch might be needed to understand such a complex storyline in its entirety. But that gives you a reason to come back to Inception even after you have experienced it for the very first time.
Inception's ambiguous ending is the cherry on top, as fans are still debating it to this day. Was Cobb still dreaming when the credits rolled on the movie? When asked about it, Nolan (unsurprisingly) left the character's fate up in the air by stating, "The character doesn’t care at that point." So what really happened? Well, I guess it's time for another rewatch to find even more clues to solve this mystery. Still, this open ending will stick with you long after you've watched the movie, and that's yet another aspect to praise about Inception.
The Odyssey will be released on July 17, 2026.
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