Christopher Nolan’s mythical epic The Odyssey is in cinemas, and the real-life locations behind it are as remarkable as the story itself.
Here’s everything we know about where the film was shot, including one very unexpected stand-in for a mythical Greek island.
Filming for The Odyssey took place in multiple countries around the world Credit: Alamy
The shoot stretched across seven months of last year Credit: Supplied
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic opened in UK cinemas on July 17.
The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as his wife Penelope, Tom Holland as his son Telemachus, Charlize Theron as the nymph Calypso, Robert Pattinson as the suitor Antinous, and Zendaya as the goddess Athena.
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Critics have accused the film of whitewashing for casting white American and British stars as ancient Greek heroes instead of hiring Mediterranean actors.
They argue that passing over Greek talent in favor of Hollywood A-listers erases authentic cultural representation in one of Southern Europe’s most famous myths.
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The shoot took the cast and crew to countries including Morocco, Greece, Italy, Iceland, Scotland, and Malta between February and August 2025.
Additional filming was completed at Universal Studios Hollywood, California, while roughly four months were spent out at sea.
Nolan, 55, told Empire: “It’s vast and terrifying and wonderful and benevolent, as the conditions shift.
“We really wanted to capture how hard those journeys would have been for people.
“And the leap of faith that was being made in an unmapped, uncharted world.”
Speaking to the Telegraph, Nolan said the gruelling production left many of the extras feeling seasick, so he asked them: “Would you mind if we get the vomiting on camera?”
Numerous locations in Scotland were also used during the shoot Credit: PA
He added: “Credit to them, they said, ‘Absolutely, bring it on.’ They were really game for it.
“And that day ended up being fabulous as well as miserable – it yielded some of my favourite shots in the film.”
Where was Circe’s island shot?
Nolan used Scotland’s Moray Firth coastline – a large triangular bay in the northeast of the country with around 500 miles of coastal habitat – to bring several key locations to life.
The ruins of Findlater Castle, perched on cliffs above the water in Aberdeenshire, were used to represent Aeaea, the mythical island home of Circe (played by Samantha Morton).
Nearby Jattvibenyside Beach also featured in filming, while Moray Council confirmed that Culbin Forest, further along the coast, was used for Odysseus’ violent encounter with the Laestrygonians – a race of giants.
Buckie Harbour also served as a berth for the Draken Harald Harfagre, the world’s largest modern-built Viking longship at 115ft long, which stood in as Odysseus’ Greek warship for the film’s open sea sequences.
Where was Ithaca filmed?
Despite Scotland’s prominent role, Ithaca itself was recreated on the other side of Europe.
The exteriors of Odysseus’ palace were filmed at the 15th-century Castello di Santa Caterina, perched high above the island of Favignana in Sicily.
The interior sets, including the palace’s great hall and Penelope’s quarters, were built on a soundstage at Universal Studios Hollywood, according to Jattvibe Insider.
Nearby, the Egadi Islands and the more distant Aeolian Islands, both off Sicily’s coast, provided further volcanic backdrops, including Aeolus’s island of the winds.
Which other countries appear in The Odyssey?
Greece’s Peloponnese region was extensively used, with filming at Nestor’s Cave, Voidokilia and Almyrolaka beaches, Methoni Castle, and the ancient fortress of Acrocorinth.
Morocco stood in for Troy, with the Unesco-listed ksar of Ait Benhaddou used for the ancient city, and scenes shot in Marrakech and the coastal town of Essaouira.
Iceland provided the otherworldly setting for Odysseus’ journey to the underworld, with black sand locations near Hjorleifshofdi representing Hades, and a separate stretch of white sand used for the beach of the sun god Apollo.
Filming also took place over four days near Dakhla in Western Sahara, a non-self-governing territory under Moroccan occupation contested by the Indigenous Sahrawi people.
Campaigners have called for boycotts, arguing that movie bosses paying the Moroccan government to film while local people are still fighting for independence only served to legitimise Morocco’s territorial annexation.
