Why Chris Nolan could halt filming of The Odyssey?
Nolan, along with stars Matt Damon and Zendaya, was spotted in Dakhla, a city within the disputed territory, on 17 July.
The Western Sahara International Film Festival (FiSahara) clarified that Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory under Moroccan occupation, not a part of Morocco.
FiSahara argues that filming in Dakhla, an occupied and militarised city, contributes to Morocco's repression of the Sahrawi people and normalises the occupation.
The film, an adaptation of Homer's Greek poem, is scheduled for release on 17 July 2026, with parts already filmed in Morocco, Greece, and Italy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
14 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Why Zendaya was forced to put her wedding to Tom Holland on hold
Zendaya and her fiancé Tom Holland have been forced to delay their wedding, according to her trusted 'image architect' Law Roach. 'The process hasn't even started yet,' the 47-year-old stylist updated E! News. 'Zendaya is working on so many movies. She's now filming the next iteration of Dune, so she's away doing that. It's so many movies, so we have time. We have a lot of time.' Indeed, the in-demand couple are co-starring in Destin Daniel Cretton's superhero flick Spider-Man: Brand New Day as well as Christopher Nolan 's big-screen adaptation of Homer's The Odyssey next year. The 28-year-old bride-to-be has her hands full shooting Denis Villeneuve's fantasy flick Dune: Part Three, Kristoffer Borgli's romantic dramedy The Drama, DreamWorks animated movie Shrek 5, and the third season of HBO Max's drama Euphoria. Zendaya (last name Coleman) has also signed on to produce and star as singer Ronnie Spector in Barry Jenkins' biopic Be My Baby, which is based on her 2022 memoir. Meanwhile, the 29-year-old groom teamed up with Austin Butler to portray the Whittington Brothers in Amazon MGM Studios' race car driving biopic called American Speed penned by Dan Wiedenhaupt. Law teased that the two-time Emmy winner and Tom's nuptials might happen next year, gushing: 'I'm really excited because I know that they really love each other and they have for a really long time.' The Challengers producer-star first sparked engagement rumors at the Golden Globe Awards in Beverly Hills on January 6 while rocking a Jessica McCormack-designed diamond sparkler estimated to cost $500K. The very next day, TMZ reported that Holland had 'got down on one knee' and popped the question 'between Christmas and New Year's Eve' at Zendaya's family home in Oakland, CA: 'It was romantic and not over the top.' The London-born Englishman told Men's Health at the time: 'When I have kids, you will not see me in movies anymore. [It'll just be] golf and dad. And I will just disappear off the face of the earth.' The Oakland-born beauty and Tom were rumored to be a couple as far back as 2017 while promoting Spider-Man, but they finally confirmed the romance in 2021 with a long kiss in his $125K Audi sports car outside her mother's Silver Lake home. Zendaya and Holland were last pictured together getting coffee in Iverness, Scotland on July 13 while on break from filming The Odyssey. The BERO founder has taken on the role of Telemachus, the son of Greek king of Ithaca Odysseus, played by Matt Damon. The former Disney Channel star is rumored to be playing the Greek goddess Athena, who serves as divine counselor to Odysseus and meddles with gods like her father Zeus in his quest to return home. The 28-year-old bride-to-be has her hands full shooting Denis Villeneuve's fantasy flick Dune: Part Three, Kristoffer Borgli's romantic dramedy The Drama, DreamWorks animated movie Shrek 5, and the third season of HBO Max's drama Euphoria Law teased that Zendaya and Tom's nuptials might happen next year, gushing: 'I'm really excited because I know that they really love each other and they have for a really long time' (pictured July 17) The very next day, TMZ reported that Holland had 'got down on one knee' and popped the question 'between Christmas and New Year's Eve' at Zendaya's family home in Oakland, CA: 'It was romantic and not over the top' Zendaya could also be playing Calypso, a nymph who keeps Odysseus captive by force on her island Ogygia for seven years while attempting to make him her immortal husband. There's also a chance the Dune: Part Two action star could be playing Nausicaä, the beautiful daughter of King Alcinous who helps Odysseus when he's shipwrecked on her island. Principal photography officially began February 25, and filming is also expected to take place in Greece, Morocco, and the United Kingdom. The Universal Pictures 'mythic action epic shooting across the world using brand new IMAX film technology' is already scheduled to hit theaters on July 17, 2026. Oscar winner Anne Hathaway is rumored to be playing Odysseus' wife, Queen of Ithica Penelope, whom he's eager to reunite with following a perilous journey back home. And Oscar winner Charlize Theron is said to be playing the witch goddess Circe in the 3K-year-old fantastical tale full of sirens and a cyclops. The Odyssey ensemble cast also includes Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Samantha Morton, Will Yun Lee, and Mia Goth.
The Independent
19 hours ago
- The Independent
Why Chris Nolan could halt filming of The Odyssey?
Christopher Nolan is facing calls to halt production of his new film, The Odyssey, in the Moroccan-occupied Western Sahara. Nolan, along with stars Matt Damon and Zendaya, was spotted in Dakhla, a city within the disputed territory, on 17 July. The Western Sahara International Film Festival (FiSahara) clarified that Western Sahara is a non-self-governing territory under Moroccan occupation, not a part of Morocco. FiSahara argues that filming in Dakhla, an occupied and militarised city, contributes to Morocco's repression of the Sahrawi people and normalises the occupation. The film, an adaptation of Homer's Greek poem, is scheduled for release on 17 July 2026, with parts already filmed in Morocco, Greece, and Italy.
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Daily Mail
Dark Knight director Christopher Nolan is accused of 'enabling colonialism' as new film shot in war-torn Western Sahara
Christopher Nolan has been accused of 'enabling colonialism' after filming in a highly disputed part of Western Sahara. The Dark Knight director, 54, has been shooting scenes for his new movie The Odyssey in the disputed area of Dakhla. Filming for his recreation of Homer's epic poem, starring Matt Damon, Charlize Theron and Lupita Nyong'o, took place this month with actors snapped on set. Other scenes have also been shot in the Moroccan cities of Essaouira, Marrakesh and Ouarzazate, as well as Greece and Scotland, with other members of the star-studded cast seen on set, including Tom Holland and Zendaya. However, it was the crews time in the small city of Dakhla that angered the Polisario Front, a liberation movement which claims to represent its indigenous inhabitants. Western Sahara has been occupied by Morocco since the 1970s when Spain gave up control of the territory, but the Polisario Front continue to seek independence for the region. Nolan's decision to film in Dakhla has prompted the Polisario Front to accuse him of 'a clear violation of international law and ethical standards governing cultural and artistic work'. Organisers of the Sahara International Film Festival, which takes place in Polisario-controlled Sahrawi camps in Algeria, told The Times that Dakhla was 'not just a beautiful location with cinematic sand dunes'. They added: 'Primarily, it is an occupied, militarised city whose indigenous Sahrawi population is subject to brutal repression by occupying Moroccan forces.' Festival Director María Carrión said: 'By filming part of The Odyssey in an occupied territory billed as a "news black hole" by Reporters without Borders, Nolan and his team, perhaps unknowingly and unwillingly, are contributing to the repression of the Sahrawi people by Morocco, and to the Moroccan regime's efforts to normalise its occupation of Western Sahara. 'We are sure that were they to understand the full implications of filming such a high-profile film in a territory whose indigenous peoples are unable to make their own films about their stories under occupation, Nolan and his team would be horrified.' The UN and most countries do not recognise Morocco's sovereignty over Western Sahara, viewing it as a disputed territory. Meanwhile, Britain last week backed Morocco's claim on the mostly desert land having refused to take a side for decades. Morocco also previously won the backing of the US, France, Spain and Portugal for its occupation. In March, film crews were also spotted in the Moroccan village of Aït Benhaddou as cast members and extras flooded the area, including Christopher Nolan himself. The ancient Moroccan region is no stranger to A-listers and has also featured in the likes of Gladiator II and Game Of Thrones. On December 26, The InSneider reported that The Odyssey will have a $250M budget, making it 'the most expensive film' of 54-year-old Nolan's career. Oscar winner Anne Hathaway is rumored to be playing Odysseus' wife, Queen of Ithica Penelope, whom he's eager to reunite with following a perilous journey back home. Rumour has it that Tom Holland - whose famous fiancée Zendaya also plays a mystery role - will take on the part of Odysseus' son Telemachus. And Oscar winner Charlize Theron is said to be playing the witch goddess Circe in the 3K-year-old fantastical tale full of sirens and a cyclops. The cast of high-profile actors also includes Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, Samantha Morton, Will Yun Lee, and Mia Goth. The Odyssey was last memorably adapted for the silver screen by the Coen Brothers in their 2000 satirical musical O Brother, Where Art Thou? starring George Clooney.
