Corey Hawkins Joins The Cast Of ‘The Odyssey’ By Universal Pictures

Epic fans, gather ‘round! Corey Hawkins is the latest star to join the cast for ‘The Odyssey,’ a film adaptation of Homer’s Ancient Greek epic poem, first published in English in the 17th century. The film is written and directed by 2x Academy Award winner Christopher Nolan, who also serves as co-producer with his wife, Academy Award Winner Emma Thomas. The ‘Odyssey,’ set to be released in theaters by Universal Pictures on July 17, 2026, has already garnered major buzz and excitement for the epic plot and the highly acclaimed cast.

The original epic follows Odysseus, King of Ithaca, on his journey home after the Trojan War. Spanning 24 books, the poem vividly details his bloody encounter with Polyphemus the Cyclops, his escape from the Sirens’ island, his captivity by the nymph Calypso, and his entanglement with the witch goddess Circe. After 10 years of trials and tribulations, Odysseus finally returns home to reunite with his wife, Penelope. While it is unclear how much of the original story the film will cover, fans can expect a grand feature as epic as the poem!

Hawkins joins a star-studded cast for this project, featuring Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, John Leguizamo, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron, Himesh Patel, Robert Pattinson, Benny Safdie, Elliot Page, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jon Bernthal, Jesse Garcia, Will Yun Lee, Mia Goth, Nick Tarabay, Jimmy Gonzales, and Maurice Compte.

Corey Hawkins brings a diverse and critically acclaimed body of work to The Odyssey, showcasing his talent across film, TV, and theater. He starred in The Walking Dead (2010- 2022), Allegiance (2012), and Straight Outta Compton (2015), which won the 2016 NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Motion Picture. His film and TV credits include Iron Man 3 (2013), Romeo and Juliet (2014), 24: Legacy (2016- 2017), Kong: Skull Island (2017), BlacKkKlansman (2018), Georgetown (2019), 6 Underground (2019), Survive (2020), The Tragedy of Macbeth (2021), and In The Heights (2021).

Most recently, Hawkins delivered acclaimed performances in The Color Purple (2023) and The Piano Lesson (2024), earning NAACP Image Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture in 2024 and 2025. He will also star in Prime Video’s Crime 101 later this year.

Don't miss the epic journey! ‘The Odyssey’ hits theaters in IMAX on July 17, 2026.

–Dominique Young