The Odyssey's Christopher Nolan Was 'Originally Hired' By Warner Bros For Troy: Was Given Batman As Consolation Prize

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey starring Zendaya, Elliot Page, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, and Matt Damon, is one of the most

anticipated films of the year. With a stellar cast, fans' expectations are high, given that Nolan has delivered back-to-back blockbusters, and this one appears to be no exception. Amid all the buzz, a new interview of the filmmaker is doing rounds online where Nolan has revealed how he was 'originally hired by Warner Bros. to direct Troy starring Brad Pitt, back in 2004. According to Variety, Christopher said, "I was originally hired by Warner Bros. to direct Troy. Wolfgang [Petersen] had developed it, and so when the studio decided not to proceed with his superhero movie [Batman Vs Superman], he wanted it back. At the end of the day, it was a world that I was very interested to explore. So it’s been at the back of my mind for a very long time. Certain images, particularly. How I wanted to handle the Trojan horse, things like that." In an ironic twist of fate, Nolan told Empire that Warner Bros. took back Troy to give to Wolfgang Peterson and then offered Nolan, Batman Begins as a 'consolation prize.' Troy starred Brad Pitt, Eric Bana, Orlando Bloom and Diane Kruger. The movie opened to mixed reviews in summer 2004 but earned nearly $500 million worldwide.

More About The Odyssey

Earlier, Matt Damon, Tom Holland and Zendaya returned to filming for The Odyssey. Matt Damon, 54, Holland, 29, and Zendaya, 28, were each seen spending time on set of The Odyssey in Scotland, as per People magazine. An initial teaser for the movie released exclusively in theaters ahead of Jurassic World Rebirth. It featured Holland's character Telemachus, Odysseus' son, speaking with a character portrayed by Jon Bernthal, as well as the voice of John Leguizamo, who holds an as-of-yet undisclosed role in The Odyssey. The film is set to release in theaters on July 17, 2026.