Where Was The Odyssey Filmed?

Christopher Nolan‘s reimagination of Homer’s eponymous ancient Greek epic, ‘The Odyssey,’ is a period action drama movie that centers on the long and adventurous journey of Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, as he tries to return home to his family and people after the Trojan War. During the voyage, he comes face-to-face with several mythical, dangerous creatures, such as Sirens, the nymph Calypso, and Cyclops Polyphemus. Nolan brought together a talented ensemble cast to help bring his vision to life, including Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. The epic unfolds in the mythical worlds of Ithaca and Troy, as their realistic depiction elevates the visual narrative of the narrative.

The Odyssey Filming Locations

For the production of ‘The Odyssey,’ the cast and crew members went on a globe-trotting journey to several countries, including Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, Ireland, Iceland, Malta, Western Sahara, and California, particularly in Marrakesh-Safi, Peloponnese, Aegadian Islands, Aeolian Islands, Moray, Dakhla, and Los Angeles. Principal photography for the drama film reportedly got underway in late February 2025 and went on for about 91 days before wrapping up in early August of the same year. By filming most of the tale on location, the Academy Award-winning filmmaker wanted to capture how difficult the journey was for the people in the epic. In addition, the practicality was also amplified by the shifting weather conditions and the challenges they posed.

Marrakesh-Safi, Morocco

To tape several pivotal sequences of ‘The Odyssey,’ the filming unit set up camp in and around Marrakesh-Safi. The region’s capital, Marrakesh, and the port city of Essaouira served as key production locations that feature in the epic drama. As per reports, the 21st-century open-air theatre, Royal Theatre, at Avenue Hassan II in Marrakesh, also hosted the shooting of the Tom Holland starrer. Moreover, in order to depict the city of Troy, the cast and crew members utilized the locales of the historic Aït Benhaddou village, which has served as a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1987.

In addition, a few portions were also shot in the city of Ouarzazate, located a few miles outside Marrakesh-Safi. The scenes involving Odysseus and the nymph Calypso were shot at a beach in Morocco. During a conversation with Time, Matt Damon, who portrays Odysseus, talked about shooting on the beach. He stated, “It turned out to be, like, the kitesurfing capital of the world. It was so windy. The sand was just ripping into our eyes. And there was absolutely nothing we could do to block the sand.”

Peloponnese, Greece

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In March 2025, Nolan and the rest of his team took over the regional unit of Messenia, situated in Greece’s Peloponnese region. They lensed important scenes at different spots across the unit, including the Castle of Methoni located in the port town of Methoni, Nestor’s Cave in the Voidokilia beach, the Almyrolakkos beach in Gialova, and the town of Pylos. In the eastern portion of the Peloponnese region, an archaeological palace site in and around Acrocorinth in the city of Corinth also served as a shooting site for ‘The Odyssey.’

Aegadian Islands, Italy

Many pivotal sequences for ‘The Odyssey’ were reportedly also taped on the Aegadian Islands, located off the northwest coast of Sicily. To be specific, the island of Favignana, which is believed to be the “goat island” mentioned in the epic, served as a critical filming destination. The production team set up camp in and around the Castello di Santa Caterina, a castle atop a small mountain in Favignana. In order to make the hike to the castle easier and transport the equipment and truck to the top, Nolan and his crew decided to build a new, wide-enough road in the back. However, the road never materialized.

While some of the cast and crew walked up, the rest went in helicopters, which also helped transport the necessary equipment up and down the castle. In the Time interview, Matt Damon shared a few words about the challenging filming locations in the movie, stating, “The joke was, at each location you’d think, well, the next location is going to be easier because normally on every movie there’s a moment where it lets up. It just didn’t. It was relentless.”

Aeolian Islands, Italy

Another group of islands located off the north coast of Sicily, the Aeolian Islands, hosted the production of ‘The Odyssey.’ As per reports, to depict the scenes set on the mythical island of Aeolia, multiple islands were utilized, including Basiluzzo, Vulcano, and Lipari, under certain safeguarding restrictions from local authorities. It is likely that the open water surrounding the islands was used to shoot the maritime sequences. They took over a real-life Viking longship called the Draken Harald Hårfagre, which stood in as the ancient Greek warship.

Moray, Scotland

For shooting purposes, the filming unit of the Christopher Nolan directorial also traveled to the Scottish council area of Moray in June and July 2025. The scenes set at the Ithaca castle were recorded at the Findlater Castle, atop a cliff overlooking the Moray Firth, right outside Moray. The cast and crew members were also spotted taping important scenes at the Buckie Harbour on the southern coast of Moray Firth coast and the nearby Sunnyside Beach, located between Cullen and Sandend. In July 2025, numerous exterior sequences were lensed in the Culbin Forest, considered a site of special scientific interest.

Ireland

It appears that Ireland is also one of the locations that helped paint the visual canvas of ‘The Odyssey.’ After all, the country’s breathtaking coastal landscapes, rugged terrain, and evergreen scenery evoke a sense of mystic atmosphere that complements the aesthetic of the adventures in the larger-than-life Greek epic. ‘Game of Thrones,’ ‘The Tudors,’ ‘Vikings,’ and ‘The Banshees of Inisherin’ are just some of the television shows and movies filmed in the region.

Iceland

According to reports, Matt Damon and the rest of the cast and crew members of ‘The Odyssey’ also utilized the unique landscapes of Iceland. In June 2025, they set up camp at multiple remote regions across the Nordic island country, including near the Hjörleifshöfði beach, Snæfellsnes peninsula, Sydra Skogarnes, and the Landeyjahöfn harbour. In addition, the black-sand beach scenes were reportedly shot around the Markarfljót River.

Malta

The shooting of ‘The Odyssey’ also took Nolan and his entourage of skilled cast and crew members to Malta in southern part of Europe. Located in the central Mediterranean Sea, the archipelago offered its spectacular scenery and local sites to create the visual aesthetic of the film. In order to do that, the team visited Calypso’s Cave near the town of Xagħra, on the island of Gozo. Many reports refer to the natural cave as the spot where Calypso, the nymph in ‘The Odyssey,’ keeps Odysseus captive as her prisoner for years. Thus, it seems like the crew taped the aforementioned plotline for the film on site.

Dakhla, Western Sahara

On the Atlantic Coast of Western Sahara, the city of Dakhla also provided the setting for some scenes. According to reports, in the month of July, precisely between July 17 and 22, the cast and crew set up camp in the Moroccan-administered region. Matt Damon and Zendaya were spotted filming scenes featuring their respective characters, Odysseus and Athena, at the White Dune, a magnificent natural wonder that stretches towards the ocean.

Los Angeles County, California

In Los Angeles County, the team settled on two production studios to bring certain sequences to life. Within the area, the Universal Studios Lot at 100 Universal City Plaza in Universal City served as one of the shooting sites. In the early days of May, the cast and crew visited the 400-acre property and chose to use Falls Lake, a purpose-built outdoor water tank with a large blue screen that can portray a blue sky over a water body. The scenes set in the ocean and on the ship were likely taped in the tank.

Alongside Falls Lake, the crew also utilized Stage 12, the historic 29,500-square-foot soundstage at Universal Studios Hollywood, for recording some internal shots. The scenes that required a control environment and intricate production logistics were taped in the iconic soundstage, which has also aided the filming of large-scale titles such as ‘Frankenstein (1931),’ ‘Dracula (1931),’ and The Bride of Frankenstein (1935). Per reports, it turned out to be the sole set that was built on a soundstage. The services of Sony Pictures Studios, located at 10202 Washington Boulevard in Culver City, were also employed by the team. Specifically, Stages 9 and 27 were used to create the visuals for some scenes. A portion of the filming was likely also carried out in the sprawling city of Los Angeles in Southern California.