‘I Definitely Hit the Limits of My Own Stamina’ — Don’t Expect The Odyssey Director Christopher Nolan’s Next Film for ‘At Least’ 3 Years

Christopher Nolan has said fans won’t see his next movie for “at least” three years, after directing The Odyssey pushed him to his limits.

Nolan has established a pretty reliable cadence of releasing a movie every three years since Interstellar came out in 2014. The Odyssey arrives three years after his Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, which itself released three years after Tenet came out in 2020. Tenet arrived three years after Dunkirk, which came out three years after Interstellar.

Before Intersteller, Nolan was releasing movies on a more or less two-year cadence, with The Prestige, Inception, and the Dark Knight Trilogy all coming out within a prolific seven-year period.

Christopher Nolan filmography

• 1998 Following
• 2000 Memento
• 2002 Insomnia
• 2005 Batman Begins
• 2006 The Prestige
• 2008 The Dark Knight
• 2010 Inception
• 2012 The Dark Knight Rises
• 2014 Interstellar
• 2017 Dunkirk
• 2020 Tenet
• 2023 Oppenheimer
• 2026 The Odyssey

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Ranking the Movies of Christopher Nolan

TODAY asked Nolan if it would be another three years before his next release, and the director replied, “Oh, at least.”

That answer, delivered with a knowing chuckle, perhaps signals that Nolan plans a longer gap between The Odyssey and his next film than we’ve seen in recent years, maybe with a break in mind. And who could blame him? “I definitely hit the limits of my own stamina and everybody’s stamina, I think,” he said of making The Odyssey. “I mean, it’s The Odyssey, of course it should be difficult. We’re not doing the job right making a film of The Odyssey if it doesn’t seem difficult.”

Clearly, The Odyssey was a huge effort for everyone involved. It is the first movie ever shot on Imax 70mm film, which involved using heavy and loud cameras. It was shot almost entirely with practical effects (Matt Damon’s Odysseus and his soldiers really are in that horse), and in some instances in remote locations the cast and crew would have to hike to.

Damon himself has discussed how tough it was filming The Odyssey, which he said had a “profound” effect on him. “If I look objectively at what was required to do that job, I think it came at just the right time in my life,” he revealed. “I think I would’ve been miserable 20 years ago trying to do that job. Because you were uncomfortable every day, but I really enjoyed… like, deeply enjoyed every minute of it.”

Even though The Odyssey has just hit theaters, it’s natural to wonder what Nolan’s next film might be. 20 years ago he was attached to a feature version of 1960s TV series classic The Prisoner, which starred Patrick McGoohan in the title role. As a fan of the original show, I’d love to see Nolan’s take on it. The Prisoner revolves around Number Six, a British intelligence agent who is abducted and imprisoned in a mysterious coastal village after resigning from his position. It’s a show packed with misdirection and obfuscation, and you’re never really sure what’s really going on or who to trust. I imagine The Prisoner would be right up Nolan’s street.

On the other hand, IGN’s Simon Cardy has argued that The Odyssey’s Scariest Scene Proves It’s Time for a Christopher Nolan Horror Movie, and having seen The Odyssey myself, I can understand why he’d think that.

If Nolan takes a bit of time off before plotting his next move, perhaps we will see his next film in 2030. Or maybe he’ll find himself restless even after the exertion of The Odyssey, and aim for yet another three year gap and a 2029 release date.

For now, we have The Odyssey to enjoy, and enjoy it we have. IGN’s The Odyssey review returned an 8/10. We said: “The Odyssey adapts Homer through a new eye that brings a sense of horror and existential angst to the story — and some humor too. It may not be a perfect movie, but it’s a pretty great moviegoing experience all the same.” And if you’ve seen the movie yourself and have questions, check out our The Odyssey ending explained article.

Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic.

Wesley is Director, News at IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.