Robert Downey Jr. was reportedly close to reuniting with Christopher Nolan following the success of Oppenheimer, but the collaboration ultimately did not happen. A report published earlier claimed that the actor had been considered for a key role in The Odyssey. While the casting was never officially confirmed, the rumor resurfaced as Nolan’s upcoming film continues to draw attention.
After Oppenheimer’s success, Robert Downey Jr. was rumored for The Odyssey as well
Soon after Oppenheimer became both a critical and commercial success, speculation began that Christopher Nolan could reunite with Robert Downey Jr. for his next feature, The Odyssey.
In February 2025, industry insider Daniel Richtman reported that Nolan had been interested in casting the Oscar-winning actor as the Greek god Poseidon. According to the report, the opportunity ultimately fell through because Downey’s filming schedule for Avengers: Doomsday prevented him from joining the production.
Richtman wrote, “He wanted RDJ to play Poseidon, but he’s too busy with Doomsday to make it happen.” Neither Nolan nor Downey has publicly confirmed the claim.
Instead, The Odyssey moved forward with Matt Damon in the lead role as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, whose long journey home begins after the Trojan War. The legendary king’s voyage brings him into conflict with mythical figures such as Polyphemus, the Sirens, and Calypso.
Written and directed by Nolan, The Odyssey also stars Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Samantha Morton as Circe, and Zendaya as Athena, among others.
The film is scheduled to debut in U.S. theaters on July 17, 2026. The epic has also earned widespread praise from critics. At the time of writing, it holds a 96 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Meanwhile, Downey’s next major screen appearance will take him back to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where he is set to debut as Doctor Doom in Avengers: Doomsday. The film is scheduled for release on December 18, 2026, with the actor expected to reprise the role in Avengers: Secret Wars.
Originally reported by Disheeta Maheshwari on SuperHeroHype.
