Iconic director Christopher Nolan is not known for keeping things brief. His latest film, Universal’s The Odyssey, is already breaking box office records, opening to over $257 million globally in its first weekend, the best ever for a Nolan film, per Deadline. Now, audiences heading to theaters are wondering exactly how much time to block off.
Here’s everything to know about The Odyssey‘s runtime and what critics are saying.
What is ‘The Odyssey’ about?
The film follows Odysseus (Matt Damon), king of Ithaca, as he embarks on a perilous journey home after the Trojan War, crossing the Mediterranean Sea while battling the elements, mythical creatures and deadly obstacles. The film also stars Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya and Charlize Theron.
How long is ‘The Odyssey’?
The Odyssey runs 2 hours and 52 minutes, making it the second-longest film of Nolan’s career, behind Oppenheimer‘s even three hours, and longer than Interstellar‘s 2 hours and 49 minutes, per Deadline. The film would have run even longer had it not been for the practical limitations of the IMAX 70mm format Nolan chose to shoot on — the first film in his career to be shot entirely on IMAX 70mm.
Nolan used over two million feet of film during principal photography, which lasted 91 days across Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Iceland, Western Sahara and Malta. He told Empire Magazine, as reported by Variety, “We really wanted to capture how hard those journeys would have been for people. And the leap of faith that was being made in an unmapped, uncharted world.”
What are critics saying about ‘The Odyssey’?
Critics have responded strongly. Rotten Tomatoes‘ critical consensus calls it “a cinematic epic fit for the biggest screens,” praising Nolan for “reinvigorating an ancient adventure with majestic sweep and sterling work by its colossal ensemble” and saying the film “imbues myth with primal human feeling.”
Featured image photo credit: Universal Pictures
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