Movies / News
Christopher Nolan In Trouble? 'The Odyssey' Asked To Stop Filming
Christopher Nolan has found himself in a troubling situation given the political implications of his latest filming location in Western Sahara.
Fans of Christopher Nolan (Oppenheimer) are eagerly anticipating his next film, The Odyssey. Filming for this project has been taking place worldwide for some time now.
However, he is currently facing serious issues. Filming is underway in Dakhla, a city in Western Sahara. The area around Dakhla was annexed by Morocco years ago, and most UN member states do not recognize Morocco's sovereignty there.
Human rights activists argue that Nolan is contributing to an illegal occupation. Representatives from the Sahara International Film Festival are now urging the director to halt filming in the city.
"We believe that Nolan and his team would be shocked if they were fully aware of the implications of filming here," the festival states. "This is an area where the indigenous people are unable to make films about their own stories due to occupation."
It’s unclear whether Nolan is aware of this request. Universal Studios has not yet responded, and it is also uncertain how much longer filming will last in Dakhla.
The Odyssey is a mythological epic about Odysseus (Matt Damon), a Greek warrior trying to return home after the Trojan War. The cast includes Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong'o, and more. The film will be released in theaters in July 2026.
However, he is currently facing serious issues. Filming is underway in Dakhla, a city in Western Sahara. The area around Dakhla was annexed by Morocco years ago, and most UN member states do not recognize Morocco's sovereignty there.
Request
Human rights activists argue that Nolan is contributing to an illegal occupation. Representatives from the Sahara International Film Festival are now urging the director to halt filming in the city.
"We believe that Nolan and his team would be shocked if they were fully aware of the implications of filming here," the festival states. "This is an area where the indigenous people are unable to make films about their own stories due to occupation."
Response
It’s unclear whether Nolan is aware of this request. Universal Studios has not yet responded, and it is also uncertain how much longer filming will last in Dakhla.
The Odyssey is a mythological epic about Odysseus (Matt Damon), a Greek warrior trying to return home after the Trojan War. The cast includes Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong'o, and more. The film will be released in theaters in July 2026.
