Travis Scott Makes a Surprise Appearance in Christopher Nolan’s the Odyssey

A new television spot for Christopher Nolan’s long-awaited epic The Odyssey has revealed an unexpected addition to its already stacked cast: Travis Scott. The brief teaser, which aired during a Sunday broadcast, offers the first glimpse of the rapper-turned-actor in a speaking role within Nolan’s retelling of Homer’s ancient tale.

The minute-long clip opens on a tense gathering featuring Jon Bernthal’s Menelaus and Tom Holland’s Telemachus before Scott’s character enters the frame, striking the ground with a staff to command silence. “A war, a man, a trick — a trick to break the walls of Troy,” he declares, as images of the Trojan War flicker across the screen. “It’s burning, screaming to the ground.” The moment is brief, and it immediately sparked conversation online about who Scott is playing and why Nolan chose him.

The teaser doesn’t explicitly name Scott’s character, but the setting and dialogue offer strong clues. He appears during a banquet scene alongside Menelaus, the king of Sparta, and Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, who is on a journey to learn more about his missing father. Scott’s character doesn’t carry a weapon or armour. Instead, he speaks with authority, framing the Trojan War as a story rather than a battle.

That has led to widespread speculation that Scott is playing a bard or oral storyteller, a figure deeply rooted in ancient Greek culture. Long before The Odyssey was written down, stories like it were performed aloud, often rhythmically, almost musically. In that context, Scott’s casting starts to make sense. His presence reads less like stunt casting and more like a nod to how these stories were originally shared: sung, spoken, and performed to an audience.

This isn’t the first time Nolan and Scott have crossed paths. The rapper previously collaborated with Nolan and composer Ludwig Göransson on Tenet, contributing the track “The Plan” to the film’s end credits. In a Tenet featurette, Göransson explained that he felt the film needed a stronger closing statement and immediately thought of Scott’s voice because of how he uses it as an instrument.

Nolan invited Scott to a private screening of the film without expectations. Scott loved it, received a piece of music to work with, and sent back a song that Göransson later described as “incredible.” That collaboration appears to have left a lasting impression, paving the way for Scott’s on-screen role in The Odyssey.

Importantly, this marks Scott’s first major speaking role in a blockbuster. While he’s appeared in experimental and smaller-scale projects like Harmony Korine’s Aggro Dr1ft, Gully, and voice work for animated specials, Nolan’s film represents a clear step into prestige studio filmmaking.

Scott joins a high-ranking ensemble that’s more of a modern Hollywood roll call. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, whose long journey home after the Trojan War forms the backbone of the story. Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, his wife, waiting years for his return. The cast also includes Tom Holland, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal.

The film follows Odysseus as he encounters mythical figures such as the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and the witch-goddess Circe, all while navigating betrayal, temptation, and the challenges of survival. Nolan has described the project as one of his most ambitious yet, both technically and narratively.

Production wrapped in August 2025 after a demanding 91-day shoot. Filmed entirely on IMAX cameras, the movie spans locations across Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Iceland, and Western Sahara. Universal Pictures has set The Odyssey for a theatrical release on July 17, 2026.

There’s no confirmed streaming date yet, but based on Universal’s usual release pattern, the film is expected to arrive on digital platforms in late August or September 2026.

For now, that single moment in the trailer is doing its job of adding to the hype. Travis Scott’s appearance may be brief, but it adds another layer of intrigue to a film that’s already being held to high expectations.

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