The first trailer for Christopher Nolan's upcoming cinematic epic, The Odyssey, has landed with a thud, provoking widespread criticism from disappointed fans over its surprisingly poor visual quality.
A Major Letdown for Eager Fans
Released on the afternoon of Monday, December 22, 2025, the preview for one of 2026's most anticipated summer blockbusters was met with immediate backlash. Viewers took to social media and the video's YouTube comment section to complain about blurry, glitchy, and low-resolution footage, a stark contrast to the film's promised technical pedigree.
This reaction is a significant blow for Nolan, the Oscar-winning director renowned for visual spectacles like Oppenheimer. The film, an adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek poem, boasts a stellar cast including Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, and Lupita Nyong'o. It is scheduled for global cinematic release on July 17, 2026.
Technical Grievances Take Centre Stage
The core of the frustration stems from the apparent disconnect between the trailer's quality and the production's reported use of brand new IMAX film technology. Fans expected a pristine showcase but were presented with what many described as sub-standard video.
On YouTube, one viewer pointedly asked, "'Shot entirely in IMax' Trailer in 1080p smh (shaking my head)." Another echoed the sentiment, writing, "Why is the quality so awful? it's blurry and [glitching] everywhere?" Criticisms extended to specific moments, with a comment noting, "The scene at 1:08 is completely messed up, and there are obvious encoding issues."
Similar complaints flooded X (formerly Twitter), with one user quipping, "How is it possible that this is the most anticipated movie of 2026 when it looks so awful?" Others compared the trailer's resolution unfavourably to 480p.
Benefit of the Doubt Amidst the Outcry
Despite the wave of negativity, a contingent of Nolan's devoted supporters has rushed to the director's defence. Many believe the issue is not with the film itself but with a simple uploading or encoding error on the part of the studio or platform.
Given Nolan's impeccable track record for cinematic quality and technical innovation, these fans are willing to give him the benefit of the doubt, anticipating that the actual film will deliver the visual grandeur promised. The true test will come when The Odyssey finally sails into cinemas in the summer of 2026.
