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Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is an epic in all senses of the word – and now it has first reactions from critics to match its towering ambition.

Our own entertainment editor Jordan Farley wrote , "#TheOdyssey is monumental filmmaking, its interpretation of Greek mythology electrifyingly uncanny. Staggering scale, thrillingly staged action, rich emotional throughlines." Better still, "the cyclops and Circe sequences are among the best of Nolan’s career." It's time to get very excited.

Elsewhere, the praise is as effusive as you might come to expect from a director of Nolan's caliber. Writer Douglas Greenwood was among several critics and audience members to pile on the praise, stating The Odyssey is "gutsy, and absolutely the work of a visionary."

He added, "There are a handful of set pieces so viscerally realised that watching them feels like flirting with death. Aims for the heart and plunges its dagger a few inches lower than it would like to, but otherwise excellent."

Others point towards Nolan's use of IMAX – already at a world-class, pioneering level – as another string to the movie's bow.

Erik Davis tweeted , "Christopher Nolan's #TheOdyssey is an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great filmmakers of our time. It feels like everything Nolan has been working toward with IMAX has culminated here. The production design is incredible, the action is breathtaking, and the scale is unlike anything he's done before."

Even those who haven't warmed to Nolan's work can count themselves as a convert in The Odyssey. Critic Clarisse Loughrey said , "As someone who has always been obsessed with the ancient world but has never had particularly strong feelings about Christopher Nolan… i am genuinely gobsmacked at how good THE ODYSSEY is."

Collider's Perri Nemiroff took time to sing the praises of Tom Holland, who plays Odysseus' son Telemachus in the sweeping epic.

Nemiroff wrote , "I’m often wowed by his work, but there’s something about seeing him jump from scene partner to scene partner in The Odyssey that had me in awe of his screen presence, his chemistry with his co-stars, and how clearly he’s able to elevate scenes in a unique way with each and every one of them."

Journalist Erin Mussett felt "Anne Hathaway and Samantha Morton are the absolute stand-outs", with others predicting Matt Damon, Robert Pattinson, and Zendaya could all be netting Oscar nominations early next year.

The Odyssey hits cinemas on July 17. For more, check out the rest of 2026's biggest movie release dates and our current ranking of the best Christopher Nolan movies .

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A Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is inbound, and it plunges players straight into the beloved story by letting them create their own Section 9 agent.

Developed by Mantic Games (the studio behind wargames like Halo: Flashpoint) and due to launch on Backerit later in July, this Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is based on the manga by Shirow Masamune rather than the anime. It promises to be "the most authentic tabletop roleplaying experience ever created" for the franchise, and features a custom system put together by the legendary designer Alessio Cavatore (co-creator of Lord of the Rings Strategy Battle Game, Mordheim, Kings of War, and more) alongside Zak Barouh, an award-winning tabletop RPG writer.

It's still early days so we can't tell for sure how this system will compare to the best tabletop RPGs , but Mantic promises that it "combines fast-paced, narrative-driven mechanics with the philosophical depth and visual flair that define The Ghost in the Shell." Judging by the sneak-peek via DrivethruRPG , it appears to use different dice to represent your character's skill rather than static numbers that provide a bonus. They might use a d8 for reflexes but have a d12 for hacking, say.

(Image credit: Mantic Games) A lot also seems to hinge on your character's "Synthesis Conflict" that represents an inner conflict they're fighting. This provides "a way to reflect character development through a personal story tied to each Player Character," and uses aspects like duty vs. family, humanity vs. technology, or tradition vs. progress.

Not that the Ghost in the Shell tabletop RPG is purely philosophical, of course; you'll need to arm up with cybernetic enhancements along with a host of weapons to battle corruption in this dystopian future, and it seems as though you'll be able to use miniatures for fights if you'd like.

We'll be able to find out soon enough. The Ghost in the Shell: Tabletop Roleplaying Game will launch on Backerit this July 28, and backers will immediately receive the full digital rulebook as a PDF after the campaign ends.

For more tabletop recommendations, why not drop in on the best board games ? If you're planning a vacation this summer, it's also worth visiting our guide to the best travel board games in case there's something you can add to your suitcase.

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DAMASCUS — Two blasts rocked the Syrian capital near the hotel where French President Emmanuel Macron is staying during a visit for talks with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa.

In a statement shared on X after the incident, Macron confirmed his visit would continue and praised the “aspiration” of the Syrian people. “This morning I met Syria in all its diversity. I saw dignity, courage and determination,” read the post. “My visit continues.”

Macron’s convoy had just left the hotel when the first explosion hit. “`The Elysée Palace has confirmed the French president is safe.

“We are currently at the presidential palace where the expanded meeting between the presidents and their delegation is taking place,” an Elysée official told POLITICO.

The blasts occurred just outside Syria’s Ministry of Tourism, near the Four Seasons hotel where Macron held meetings Tuesday morning.

Syria’s Ministry of the Interior reported 18 people injured, including four police officers. Both devices were improvised, said the ministry. The first blast came from inside a trash container and the second from a parked car, which detonated near an ambulance a few meters away.

This visit marks the first time a European head of state has visited Damascus since 2024, when groups led by al-Sharaa brought an end to the administration of Bashar al-Assad. It was meant to showcase the transformation of Syrian politics under the new president, who has worked to establish positive relations with Western powers.