The first teaser for The Odyssey, the upcoming film from Christopher Nolan and Universal, has leaked online on X and TikTok despite being intended for exclusive theatrical release, Variety reports.

As with his previous projects — including the Academy Award-winning Oppenheimer (2023) — Nolan is unveiling a short teaser more than a year ahead of the premiere. In this case, the teaser debuted in cinemas alongside Universal’s Jurassic World Rebirth.

The exclusive theatrical rollout reflects Nolan’s long-standing commitment to the big screen. The director parted ways with his longtime partner Warner Bros. and moved to Universal after expressing discontent with Warner’s decision to release its entire 2021 slate simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max.

Even before the teaser began screening in the U.S., pirated versions started surfacing online, many of which were swiftly removed due to copyright violations. This is not the first time footage from a major release has leaked — similar incidents occurred with Spider-Man: No Way Home, House of the Dragon, and the final season of Game of Thrones.

Variety has reached out to Universal for comment.

The 70-second teaser offers a glimpse of Odysseus (played by Matt Damon), his son Telemachus (Tom Holland), and a mysterious character portrayed by Jon Bernthal. It opens with voiceover narration, reportedly by Robert Pattinson, who also stars in the film.

“Darkness. Zeus’ laws — shattered. A kingdom without a king, since my master died,” the voice says over imagery of dark blue ocean waves crashing on the shore. “He knew the war was unwinnable… and yet somehow he won.”

Two brief shots of the legendary Trojan Horse follow — Odysseus’ cunning strategy to smuggle Greek soldiers into Troy, slaughter the defenders, and sack the city. The horse’s shadow stretches across the sand, then appears partially submerged in water. In Homer’s original epic, Odysseus’s return home takes ten years, marked by encounters with monsters like the Cyclops, captivity by the nymph Calypso, and run-ins with various Greek gods.

The teaser continues with a tense exchange between Telemachus and Bernthal’s character, who admits he has no knowledge of Odysseus’s current whereabouts. “I know nothing of Odysseus. Not since Troy,” he says as a storm brews over the sea.

“I need to know what happened to my father. When did you last see him?” Holland replies. The two stand side by side, dim orange flames casting shadows over the figures behind them.

“Interested in rumors, huh? Gossip? Who’s got a story about Odysseus, huh?” Bernthal begins shouting at those nearby. “You? You have a story?” The scene cuts to Greek soldiers in armor, carrying torches as they march through a city street at night.

The words “One Year From Now” flash across a black screen, teasing the film’s distant release date.

“Some say he’s rich. Some say he’s poor,” Bernthal continues, as a soldier steps into a cavern and draws his sword. The phrase “A Journey Begins” appears on screen.

“Some say he’s dead. Some say he’s imprisoned. What say you?” Bernthal asks as men walk toward a city in the night, a torn flag waving above them.

“Imprisoned?” Telemachus responds.

“What kind of prison? A good man like that,” Bernthal adds. The teaser concludes with more shots of stormy waves, finally revealing Odysseus adrift in the ocean, clinging to scraps of wreckage. The words “The Odyssey” and “17.07.26” appear before the screen fades to black.

Much like Oppenheimer, The Odyssey boasts a large ensemble cast. Alongside Damon, Holland, Pattinson, and Bernthal, the film features Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Himesh Patel, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Mia Goth, Corey Hawkins, Cosmo Jarvis, and others. Currently in production, the film will be the first major feature shot entirely with IMAX cameras. As with Nolan’s previous works, the teaser is expected to be officially released online later this year. |BGNES