Matt Damon arrives in Scotland ahead of The Odyssey filming

The Herald Scotland

5 hours ago

The Odyssey - an adaptation of Homer's epic Greek poem - boasts an all-star ensemble cast, with Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway and Charlize Theron starring alongside Matt Damon.
Slated for a July 2026 release, Universal Pictures describe it as "a mythic action epic shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology", while Jim Orr, the studio's distribution chief, said it will be 'a visionary, once-in-a-generation cinematic masterpiece that Homer himself would quite likely be proud of.'
Principal photography began at Aït Benhaddou in Morocco in February before filming moved to Pelopennese in Greece and the island of Favignana off the coast of Sicily - believed by some scholars to be one of the locations described in Homer's epic poem.
Earlier this month, it was revealed that scenes for the film will be shot at Findlater Castle overlooking the Moray Firth in Aberdeenshire.
It came after Variety named Scotland among the list of 'announced locations' for the film, while actor Jesse Garcia confirmed in an interview that The Odyssey would be filmed in Scotland - and Ireland.
Speaking about the film, Garcia said: "The locations are beautiful. It's been fun to work with all the actors that we're working with, and everyone is putting everything into it. We're literally emptying the tank every day.
"It's epic. There's going to be some groundbreaking stuff on screen that's really never been done before. [Nolan] keeps upping the game with everything that he does, and the way it's going to look on screen is just going to be incredible."
Back in February, Universal unveiled a first look at Matt Damon as Odysseus in The Odyssey. The side-angle shot showed Damon, who worked with Christopher Nolan in Oppenheimer, clad in military armour.
Nolan is no stranger to Scotland, having filmed parts of The Dark Knight Rises in the country. The opening scene, where supervillain Bane hijacks a plane, was filmed over the Mar Lodge Estate in the Cairngorms National Park.
News of Matt Damon's arrival in Scotland for filming comes after Deadline confirmed that Joel Coen's next film, Jack of Spades, will shoot in Scotland this summer.
The movie will star British actor Josh O'Connor - primarily known for his portrayal of Prince Charles in The Crown - in the lead role.
Coen is best known of course for his collaborations with his younger brother, Ethan. Among their most acclaimed works are Fargo, True Grit, The Big Lebowski, O Brother, Where Art Thou? and No Country for Old Men.
The film will follow Coen's previous solo release, 2021's The Tragedy Of Macbeth, starring Denzel Washington and Frances McDormand.
Plot details for Jack of Spades remain under wraps, but there are reportedly offers out to two British actresses to star alongside O'Connor.
The Herald understands that Coen is already in Glasgow ahead of filming starting.
In an interview with The Herald in 2009, Coen, who has visited Skye repeatedly on holiday, hinted of a possible future shoot in Scotland.
He said: 'I love Scotland, I visit there a lot for the countryside, the landscape of it. I go up to the Isle of Skye.
"Who knows, maybe some day we will do a movie set in Scotland. It will probably have an American character in it though.'
In other film news, Deadline also reports that Russell Crowe has joined Henry Cavill's Highlander reboot.
The Oscar-winning actor is set to play Cavill's mentor in a variation on the part played by Sean Connery in the 1986 original.
Earlier this month, director Chad Stahelski confirmed that filming is due to commence by mid-September in London, before production heads to Scotland.
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