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The Odyssey filming locations: Where did Christopher Nolan film his epic?
Filming on Christopher Nolan's epic was an Odyssey in itself.
Universal Pictures
- Patrick Cremona
Published: Tuesday, 21 July 2026 at 4:07 pm
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Much has been made about the great lengths Christopher Nolan went to in order to make his new adaptation of The Odyssey as spectacular as possible – from shooting the entire film using IMAX film cameras to utilising all manner of incredible practical effects.
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But one other aspect of the film that needed to be just right for it to truly blow audiences away was finding the right locations to serve as the backdrop for the title character's long trip home to Ithaca.
As you'd expect from a filmmaker as meticulous as Nolan, the film was shot almost entirely on location – with production taking place across several different countries over a period of 91 days.
According to Nolan, this use of real world locations – and dealing with the very real weather conditions in the process – was a vital part of ensuring the film felt authentic and immersive.
"By embracing the physicality of the real world in the making of the film, you do inform the telling of the story in interesting ways," the filmmaker told Empire back in 2025. "Because you’re confronted on a daily basis by the world pushing back at you."
Meanwhile, in the film's production notes, star Matt Damon explained: "Every location we went to, I would get there, and I would just start laughing, like, ‘Who thought you should shoot a movie here?’
"I remember when we got to Iceland after shooting in these hard places, everybody kept saying, ‘Iceland will be easy; it’s summertime.’ And Iceland said, ‘Hold my beer, watch this.'"
So where exactly was The Odyssey shot? Read on for everything you need to know about the filming locations.
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The Odyssey filming locations: Where did Christopher Nolan film his epic?
Morocco
Production on the film began in Morocco, with the village of Aït Benhaddou – which is a UNESCO World Heritage site – used to moonlight as Troy in the sequences depicting the key Trojan War battles.
Other scenes were also shot in the cities of Essaouira and Marrakesh with the beaches of the former used for the scene in which we first see the massive Trojan Horse at the beginning of the film.
Western Sahara
More controversially, parts of the film were also shot in Western Sahara – a disputed territory which has been under Moroccan occupation since 1975.
Scenes involving Odysseus and Athena were filmed at the White Dune near the city of Dakhla in the territory, a decision which has prompted significant criticism from some quarters.
Opponents included the liberation movement Polisario Front – which is recognised by the UN – as well as the Sahara International Film Festival, whose organisers released a statement calling on Nolan to obtain consent from "the legal representatives of the Sahrawi people", with signatories including Oscar-winning actor Javier Bardem.
Greece
Of course, given that The Odyssey is one of the foundational texts of Ancient Greek literature, it's no surprise to learn that modern day Greece was also used extensively.
Most of the filming took place in Messenia in the country's Peloponnese region, with key locations including Nestor's Cave in the Voidokilia beach (for the scenes involving the Cyclops Polyphemus), Methoni Castle (for the palace of the King of Sparta Menelaus and his wife Helen) and the fortified castle of Acrocorinth (for Agamemnon's return to his vengeful wife Clytemnestra.)
Italy
The island of Favignana – one of the Aegadian Islands in Sicily – was also used. Known as Goat Island, this location served as the backdrop for the film's Ithaca scenes, with the Castello di Santa Caterina used for exterior shots.
Meanwhile, the volcanic islands Basiluzzo, Lipari, and Vulcano were also used to represent the mythological island of Aeolia during the scenes where Odysseus and his men are having to fare with extremely choppy seas after angering the God Poseidon.
Matt Damon is Odysseus and Zendaya is Athena in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey. Universal Studios
Scotland
Away from the Mediterranean, some key scenes were also shot in the North-East of Scotland, with Culbin Forest in Moray serving as Aeaea, the location for Odysseus's brush with the giant soldiers known as Laestrygonians.
Meanwhile, the memorable scenes involving Samantha Morton as witch-goddess Circe were shot nearby, with her home being constructed close to the ruins of Findlater Castle by the seaside town of Cullen.
Iceland
Ten days of filming also took place in remote parts of Iceland – a country which has commonly been used as a filming location in recent years, including by Nolan himself for Batman Begins and Interstellar.
Predominantly, Iceland was used for the scenes in which Odysseus travels to the underworld of Hades, with the black sands of Hjörleifshöfði serving as one of the most dramatic, otherworldly backdrops in the film.
Malta
Malta features less prominently in the film than some of the other locations, with most of the scenes shot in the island consisting of underwater scenes and ocean battle sequences filmed at the country's Mediterranean Film Studios in the village of Kalkara.
Meanwhile Calypso's Cave in the island of Gozo – thought to be a real location referenced in the poem – was also used for some scenes starring Charlize Theron as Calypso, the nymph who holds Odysseus captive.
United States
Finally, while the vast bulk of the film was shot on location, some scenes were shot at the Universal lot in Los Angeles – most prominently, the interiors of Penelope's palace in Ithaca.
The Odyssey is released in cinemas on Friday 17 July.
Book your £10 seat for the first ever Radio Times Film Night and watch Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey with fellow film fans at Odeon Luxe Islington on Thursday 23 July 2026.
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Authors
Patrick CremonaSenior Film Writer
Patrick Cremona is the Senior Film Writer at Radio Times, and looks after all the latest film releases both in cinemas and on streaming. He has been with the website since October 2019, and in that time has interviewed a host of big name stars and reviewed a diverse range of movies.
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