Universal Pictures has launched its Academy Awards campaign for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, assembling a roster of moderators that may be unprecedented for a single film's awards push. Robert Downey Jr. hosts an IMAX 70mm screening at the TCL Chinese Theatre on November 11. Guillermo del Toro follows at AMC Universal CityWalk on November 12. Steven Spielberg moderates at the DGA Theater on November 17. Between them, the three moderators hold seven Academy Awards.
The campaign opens November 10 with the world premiere of a 75-minute behind-the-scenes documentary at the Spielberg Theater. Nolan introduces the film. Matt Damon then moderates a panel with producer Emma Thomas and department heads including editor Jennifer Lame, composer Ludwig Göransson, cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, and production designer Ruth De Jong.
Universal is submitting the film across a broad field. Nolan is listed for Best Picture, Best Director, and Best Adapted Screenplay. Damon is positioned as Best Actor, entering a race that also includes Andrew Scott in Elsinore and John Malkovich in Wild Horse Nine. Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, and John Leguizamo are submitted for Best Supporting Actor. Anne Hathaway and Samantha Morton are listed for Best Supporting Actress. The original song "When I Home," co-written by James Blake, Göransson, and Travis Scott, is in contention.
The Odyssey opened July 17 to $124.5 million domestically and $264.1 million worldwide. It currently holds the record as the highest-grossing R-rated film ever made. Oscar nominations are announced January 21, 2027. The ceremony is March 14.