The Odyssey Can Break a Matt Damon Record Held by His Sci-Fi Masterpiece & End a 10-Year Streak

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Expected to be a major film release in 2026, The Odyssey could also be one of Matt Damon’s most significant roles yet. Following the success of his Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan is tackling a new, large-scale adaptation of the classic Greek story of Homer. Damon will play Odysseus, the hero of the Trojan War, as he struggles to return home, and he’ll be joined by a star-studded cast including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, and others.

Damon has been in Nolan films before – he appeared in Interstellar and Oppenheimer – but this upcoming project will be the first time he’s been the lead. It could be his biggest film as a leading actor in over ten years, and potentially his biggest ever. Currently, The Martian, where he starred, earned $653 million worldwide. While Oppenheimer made even more – $976 million – Damon had a supporting role in that film, according to The Numbers.

Christopher Nolan is one of the few directors whose name guarantees a major movie event, and his new film, The Odyssey, is shaping up to be massive. With a summer release and a well-known cast, it’s expected to perform similarly to Oppenheimer. While it might not reach $1 billion in box office revenue, it’s likely to earn more than The Martian, especially considering IMAX 70mm showings sold out a year before the film even came out. Although other blockbusters like Avengers: Doomsday, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Toy Story 5 will also be released in 2026, The Odyssey is projected to easily surpass the $653 million record currently held by Damon.

The Odyssey Could Also Put Matt Damon Back In Oscars Contention

It’s been a while since Damon led a truly blockbuster movie. Aside from Oppenheimer, his biggest success after The Martian was Jason Bourne in 2016, which earned $416 million. Ford v. Ferrari also did well, bringing in $224 million. This decade, only the animated film IF has grossed over $100 million. While an actor’s talent isn’t measured by box office numbers, The Odyssey is expected to be a significant return to commercial success for him.

Matt Damon could very well be back in contention for an Oscar. He has a strong history with the Academy Awards, having won Best Original Screenplay with Ben Affleck for Good Will Hunting in 1998, and also receiving a Best Actor nomination that same year. Since then, he’s been nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Invictus) and Best Actor (The Martian), with The Martian marking his last acting nomination. While he was a Best Picture nominee as a producer for Manchester by the Sea, he hasn’t received an acting Oscar nomination since. He did receive a Golden Globe nomination for Air and a SAG nomination as part of the Oppenheimer cast, but further Academy Awards recognition has remained out of reach.

Okay, so The Odyssey is a huge spectacle, and the Academy doesn’t always love rewarding performances in those kinds of films. But honestly, I’m already thinking Matt Damon could be a serious contender for Best Actor. He’s going to be front and center in what’s shaping up to be one of the biggest movies of 2026, and look at what happened with Christopher Nolan’s last film! Cillian Murphy won Best Actor for Oppenheimer, and Robert Downey Jr. took home Supporting Actor. That definitely sets a precedent, and I think Damon has a real shot.

Competition will be fierce – especially with Tom Cruise aiming for his first Oscar with a new film directed by Alejandro G. Iñárritu. However, if The Odyssey performs well, Matt Damon is expected to be a strong contender, achieving both box office success and completing his own comeback story.

The Odyssey will be released in theaters on July 17, 2026.

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2025-12-09 20:45