Universal's campaign for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey launched this week with a succession of events that signal the studio's belief that the film can dominate the upcoming 99th Academy Awards.
Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus, is the studio's sole Best Actor entry. Best Supporting Actress will feature Anne Hathaway as Penelope and Samantha Morton as Circe. Best Supporting Actor includes Tom Holland (Telemachus), Robert Pattinson (Antinous), and John Leguizamo (Eumaeus). Nolan is submitted for Best Director and Best Adapted Screenplay, with he and producer Emma Thomas heading the Best Picture push.
Notable omissions include Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Elliot Page, and Jon Bernthal. According to Variety, Hathaway was positioned in supporting rather than lead to avoid a direct collision with Julianne Moore, who is running in Best Actress for The Debut. Pairing Hathaway with Morton opens the possibility of two supporting actress nominations from one film.
The campaign itself is built around a string of high-profile Q&As. Robert Downey Jr., who won Best Supporting Actor for Oppenheimer, moderated the Los Angeles kickoff at the TCL Chinese Theatre on November 11 following an IMAX 70mm screening. Guillermo del Toro hosted a session at AMC Universal CityWalk on November 12. Steven Spielberg is set to lead a conversation with Nolan at the DGA Theater on November 17.
Academy nomination voting opens January 21, 2027. The 99th Oscar ceremony is set for March 14, 2027 at the Dolby Theatre.