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Matt Damon Arrives in Greece for New Film ”The Odyssey”
Greek Reporter ^ | March 6, 2025 | Nick Kampouris

Posted on 03/06/2025 11:52:56 AM PST by nickcarraway

Christopher Nolan’s latest epic production, ”The Odyssey”, brought Hollywood star Matt Damon to Greece. Filming is underway for the highly anticipated adaptation of Homer’s legendary epic poem in Greece with the production already working hard for the much-anticipated film.

With a star-covered cast and a whopping $250 million production budget, this ambitious cinematic project is expected to be one of the most talked-about films of recent years.

Matt Damon in Greece to begin filming

Matt Damon, who will star in the new film as Odysseus, arrived in Greece a few days ago to film key scenes for the new film and was caught by cameras leaving the country on Thursday. The production is making use of iconic locations across Greece, including the Methoni Castle, the Voidokilia Beach in Crete and the archaeological site of Acrocorinth in the Peloponnese. These sites will be the backdrop for the perilous journey home of Odysseus following the end of the Trojan War.

Photos captured at Athens’ International Airport show Damon casually dressed in jeans and a hoodie, as he waited for his flight to depart. According to Greek news website Proto Thema, Damon has already taken part in the filming of some scenes and is expected to come back to Greece again to continue filming more. Meanwhile, casting calls for extras have drawn significant attention in Kalamata and other nearby towns of southern Greece.

Grecian Delight supports Greece

Nolan’s ”The Odyssey” promises to be a visually stunning ”sword-and-sandals” epic that stays true to its ancient Greek roots. The film follows Odysseus as he faces mythical challenges—including encounters with the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens and Circe—on his decade-long voyage back to Ithaca. Alongside Damon, the cast includes Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Calypso and Robert Pattinson as Poseidon.

Filming began earlier this year across multiple international locations such as Morocco and Italy before moving to Greece. The production is expected to boost Greece’s global tourist profile as a prime destination for both filmmaking and relaxation, as the country is aiming at attracting foreign productions in the last few years.

Scheduled for release in the summer of 2026, ”The Odyssey” is expected to be Nolan’s most expensive project yet. With its breathtaking settings across the Mediterranean and beautiful plot, this adaptation of Homer’s classic epic tale hopes to captivate audiences worldwide.

Historically inaccurate?

However, the first image that was released recently of the upcoming production, sparked debate over its historical accuracy. Critics argued that Odysseus should wear a Mycenaean boar’s tusk helmet, as described in The Iliad. In Book 10, Homer mentions Odysseus borrowing such a helmet from Meriones for a nighttime raid. However, this is not Odysseus’ standard helmet in the epic.

In Nolan’s adaptation, Matt Damon’s Odysseus wears a red-plumed helmet resembling later Greek designs. While visually impressive, this choice is slightly away from both Mycenaean and Homeric descriptions.


TOPICS: Books/Literature; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: ancientnavigation; epigraphyandlanguage; godsgravesglyphs; homer; mattdamon; theodyssey; trojanwar; troy
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To: imabadboy99

Whatever the number, it’ll be too many.


21 posted on 03/06/2025 12:35:35 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: nickcarraway
Alongside Damon, the cast includes Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Calypso and Robert Pattinson as Poseidon.

Uh, no.

22 posted on 03/06/2025 12:38:31 PM PST by Tax-chick (Sounds like a great idea, with the best of intentions. What could possibly go wrong?)
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To: Tax-chick

Just no.


23 posted on 03/06/2025 12:39:21 PM PST by No name given ( Anonymous is who you’ll know me as)
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To: DFG

Did that minivan come with the oars & sail, or the internal combustion option?


24 posted on 03/06/2025 12:40:35 PM PST by Tallguy
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To: No name given

Totally no. I’ll just read the book again.


25 posted on 03/06/2025 12:42:29 PM PST by Tax-chick (Sounds like a great idea, with the best of intentions. What could possibly go wrong?)
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To: Tax-chick

Zendaya has zero acting chops. Nice to look at, though.


26 posted on 03/06/2025 12:43:16 PM PST by Tallguy
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To: nickcarraway

Matt Damon!


27 posted on 03/06/2025 12:51:48 PM PST by MoreMAGA ("See, there's three kinds of people...")
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To: nickcarraway

I am going out on a limb here and going to predict not dollar one will be spent by me n this movie.


28 posted on 03/06/2025 12:52:51 PM PST by Mastador1
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To: nickcarraway

Brad Pitt would have been a better choice


29 posted on 03/06/2025 1:05:05 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: StayAt HomeMother; Ernest_at_the_Beach; 1ofmanyfree; 21twelve; 24Karet; 2ndDivisionVet; 31R1O; ...
The Hallmark production of The Odyssey had a great cast, was a lot of fun, and that's hard to do with what really comes off as an ancient Greek rom-com.

30 posted on 03/06/2025 1:06:54 PM PST by SunkenCiv (Putin should skip ahead to where he kills himself in the bunker.)
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To: Mastador1
Already done in 1954 with Kirk Douglas as Ulysses. Ok for its time, but by today's standards special effects are somewhat cheesy.
31 posted on 03/06/2025 1:09:33 PM PST by Robwin ( )
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To: Tennessee Nana

The wily Odysseus was very cerebral compared to Achilles, Agamemnon, Menelaus, etc. Sam Neil in his younger days would have been a good choice. Not sure who fits the bill now. I don’t see Matt Damon credibly doing “wily”!


32 posted on 03/06/2025 1:19:38 PM PST by Reily (a)
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To: nickcarraway

Ford vs Ferrari is the only movie of his I ever liked.
I never knew I could be an actor until I saw Matt in most of his films.
“So Zathras, how is your life going?”
“Huh...ok I guess”
What amazing dialogue! /sar


33 posted on 03/06/2025 1:27:57 PM PST by Zathras
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To: Reily

Matt who?


34 posted on 03/06/2025 1:28:31 PM PST by spincaster (ifi)
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To: nickcarraway

Using this thread to promote The Durrells in Corfu (Greece). An excellent series, a must watch!


35 posted on 03/06/2025 1:32:17 PM PST by nfldgirl ( )
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To: spincaster

yeah kind of agree. Can’t even come up with a Matt Damon film in my head! His work made that much of an impression on me.


36 posted on 03/06/2025 1:35:02 PM PST by Reily (a)
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To: Reily

Exactly

Matt Damon is a dud


37 posted on 03/06/2025 1:56:40 PM PST by Tennessee Nana
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To: Tallguy

Which is worth something. Anne Hathaway has had atrocities committed on her face. She looks like an alien.


38 posted on 03/06/2025 1:58:51 PM PST by Tax-chick (Sounds like a great idea, with the best of intentions. What could possibly go wrong?)
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To: nickcarraway
Let me guess who he'll be playing...

Then again... Matt did play a Chinese dude a couple of films ago... So maybe he can be Greek.

According to Wikipedia... "Homer 'may' have been an Ancient Greek poet"... Just like Jesus Christ 'may' have been our savior? I don't know about you, but I'm willing to bet that Homer was as real as you and I are. Sadly enough, Wikipedia is doing it's best to dispel that notion and many others as well.

BCE and CE???? Stick it up your doughnut hole.

39 posted on 03/06/2025 3:03:05 PM PST by jerod (Nazis were essentially Socialist in Hugo Boss uniforms... Get over it!)
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To: DFG

lol


40 posted on 03/06/2025 3:20:46 PM PST by martin_fierro (< |:)~)
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