Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey arrives in theaters this weekend, but the movie is already showing in some international locations, and several clips and images have leaked online.
The leak that has garnered the most attention on social media is a scene from early in the film, which shows the death of Elliot Page's character.
Shortly after the first trailer was released, speculation mounted that Page must be playing The Iliad's mythical warrior, Achilles, who met his end after being shot in the heel with a poisoned arrow. The theory seemed to stem from a shot of Page's character speaking to Odysseus (Matt Damon) in the afterlife, but the Inception star is actually playing a young soldier named Sinon.
Sinon is Odysseus' cousin, who idolizes the legendary hero. In this scene, Sinon is given the task of presenting the Trojans with the wooden horse left on the beach by the Greeks as an offering to the goddess Athena. The inexperienced soldier is immediately hit with a volley of arrows and spears, dying - a significant departure from the source material - before he can witness the epic battle that follows.
Later on, Odysseus and his men visit the Underworld in search of a way back to Ithaca, and Sinon's spirit rebukes his commander for knowingly sacrificing him in order to achieve victory over the Trojans. Sinon's words force Odysseus to confront the emotional consequences of the choices he made as a military leader
So, while Page does not play Achilles, Sinon does take this character's place in the Underworld sequence
The Odyssey has been met with a highly positive reception from critics, and currently sits at 96% on Rotten Tomatoes.
"Christopher Nolan’s next film The Odyssey is a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand-new IMAX film technology. The film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026," said Universal Pictures in a statement when the project was announced.
The poem has been adapted (sometimes very loosely) a number of times before, starting with the 1911 silent film by Giuseppe de Liguoro, and followed by 1954’s Ulysses starring Kirk Douglas. The Cohen Brothers' O Brother, Where Art Thou? (2000) is also based on the epic adventure, as is 2024’s The Return starring Ralph Fiennes.
Anime fans may also recall the '80s Ulysses 31 series, which put a futuristic spin on the tale.
The Odyssey is due for release in theaters on July 17, 2026.