The trailer for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey dropped on Tuesday. The latest adaptation of Homer’s Greek epic stars Matt Damon in the titular role, along with a stellar support cast including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, and Charlize Theron. And while the first glimpse of naval battles and the Cyclops has fans excited, many said they were turned off by some of the dialogue, particularly one exchange between Tom and Robert that feels very 21st-century.
The controversial ‘daddy’ line in The Odyssey trailer
The Odyssey is the story of Odysseus, the mythical king of Ithaca, who struggles to return home after the Trojan War. As he made his way home, his wife, Penelope, was beset by a string of suitors who hoped to marry her and rule Ithaca. In Nolan’s adaptation, Robert Pattinson plays Antinous, one such suitor, courting Anne Hathaway’s Penelope, much to the dismay of her son, Telemachus (Tom Holland).
One scene in the trailer shows the villainous Antinous trying to convince Telemachus of the inevitability that he will marry Penelope and that he should stop waiting for Odysseus to return. “You’re pining for a daddy you never knew,” he says. To this, Telemachus replies, “My dad will return.”
Fans divided over the language
After the trailer dropped, many viewers said they felt the line felt odd in a period epic and a more neutral ‘father’ would have worked better. One viewer argued, “If you are going to do an adaptation that has nothing accurate to the Greek culture, at least try to use a powerful dialogue that can adapt to the epic scale of this movie. Not something a 16-year-old would tell you.” Another said, “It was when Tom Holland used ‘Dad’, I was like something is wrong here. Took me out completely.”
Others were more critical in their assessment of the line. One called the film ‘A historical epic written by an emote Gen Z,’ while another labelled Nolan’s attempt as ‘the Netflixication of mythology’.
However, many defended the film and Nolan’s approach, noting that Odyssey is mythology and not history. “Historical accuracy matters, but only if it’s real,” countered one defender of the film’s trailer. Another argued that just because some films use British English doesn’t mean it is the template for historical epics. “Doing sh**in a British accent or using ‘ye olde English ‘” doesn’t make ancient GREECE more authentic,” read the comment.
All about The Odyssey
An adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic, The Odyssey, the film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, and chronicles his long and perilous journey home after the Trojan War as he attempts to reunite with his wife, Penelope. The Odyssey is scheduled for theatrical release on July 17, 2026.