Christopher Nolan’s next cinematic adventure, The Odyssey, is one of the most talked-about films of recent times. With a star-studded lineup featuring multiple A-listers from across continents and the Oscar-winning filmmaker at the helm, anticipation is sky high. However, controversy now clouds the high-profile project, as reports confirm key scenes for it being shot in the disputed territory of Western Sahara.

As Christopher Nolan charts his course through ancient myth, his production has unexpectedly wandered into a modern geopolitical storm.

According to Deadline, Christopher Nolan is facing fire for shooting parts of Universal’s much-hyped The Odyssey in Morocco-occupied Western Sahara. The revered British director has been filming with his crew near the coastal city of Dakhla, designated by the United Nations as a “non-self-governing territory” since 1963. The Western Sahara International Film Festival, also known as FiSahara, called on Nolan to halt shooting in the region effective immediately, calling it “a militarised city whose indigenous Sahrawi population is subject to brutal repression by occupying Moroccan forces,” the outlet reported.

The region, which also formed the backdrop of Amazon’s The Wheel of Time, is not legally a part of Morocco, but the US and the UK are among a handful of governments that recognize the North African country's occupation of the land. FiSahara added in their statement that they are assured that if Christopher Nolan, who recently got celebrated by Cineworld, and his team understood how filming their big-budget movie would have worse consequences on the native people of the region, who are unable to make their “own films about their occupation,” they would be “horrified.” FiSahara has been supported by prominent Hollywood figures like Javier Bardem and Penélope Cruz in the past. Meanwhile, anticipation is in full swing around The Odyssey’s release.

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When will Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey sail in theaters? The countdown is on!

The Odyssey, led by Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, and more, will open in IMAX on July 17, 2026. Besides the aforementioned Moroccan-occupied region, the film has been shooting in locations including Italy, Ireland, and Scotland. Based on Homer’s much-celebrated poem of the same name, the story follows the protagonist Odysseus on his dangerous journey home after the Trojan War.

During his journey, Odysseus encounters several mythical beings as he battles through the unpredictable sea to return to his family. The story notably includes gods like Athena, Poseidon, and Zeus. If The Odyssey can weather the criticism surrounding its choice of the aforementioned filming location, it is all set to be one of the most ambitious outings of the coming year, a cinematic effort as sweeping and intriguing as its 2000-year-old source material.

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What are your thoughts on the criticism Christopher Nolan is facing regarding The Odyssey's filming location? Let us know in the comments.