Robert Downey Jr. and Cillian Murphy have coined a new term after missing out on roles in The Odyssey. The Marvel star revealed that the duo has replaced FOMO with ROMO, a term that captures the joy of missing out.
During an interview with The Nerd Wire, Downey discussed Christopher Nolan’s filmmaking before jokingly questioning why he was never considered for The Odyssey. He teased Nolan for not reaching out to him directly before sharing the humorous term he and Murphy had come up with. Downey said, “You know what me, and Killian jokingly said? We have ROMO, relief of missing out.”
Directed by Nolan, The Odyssey adapts Homer’s ancient Greek epic about Odysseus’ perilous journey home following the Trojan War. Released in July 2026, the film features an ensemble cast that includes Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. Nolan’s retelling proved to be a massive box-office success, earning $1.8 billion worldwide.
The two actors previously worked with Nolan on his Oscar-winning film Oppenheimer
Although Downey and Murphy were not part of The Odyssey, they previously worked with Nolan on another blockbuster, Oppenheimer. The 2023 biographical drama follows physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and his involvement in developing the atomic bomb as part of the Manhattan Project during World War II.
In the blockbuster movie, Murphy played Oppenheimer, and Downey portrayed Lewis Strauss, a founding commissioner of the U.S. Atomic Energy Commission whose political feud with the physicist becomes a major part of the story. The movie also stars Emily Blunt, Damon, and Florence Pugh.
Nolan’s Oppenheimer grossed $986.2 million worldwide during its theatrical run and went on to win seven Academy Awards. These included Best Picture, Best Director for Nolan, Best Actor for Murphy, and Best Supporting Actor for Downey. The wins marked a major career milestone for both actors, earning them their first-ever Oscars.
Murphy will next reprise his role as Emmett in A Quiet Place Part III, which is scheduled to hit theaters on July 30, 2027. Meanwhile, Downey is set to return to the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday, arriving in theaters on December 18, 2026.
Originally reported on ComingSoon.
