Christopher Nolan's upcoming film The Odyssey brings Homer's ancient Greek epic to the big screen with a star-studded cast, aiming to make the classic story easy for modern audiences to enjoy.

Nolan said viewers do not need to be familiar with the original poem to follow the film.

"It's something that we all know a little bit about, some of us know a lot about it, some of us know nothing about it," Nolan told The Associated Press. "We're making the film for that whole range of people's relationship with this foundational text."

The film will be released in theatres on July 17.

Here is a look at the main characters and the actors portraying them:

·         Matt Damon plays Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, whose long and dangerous journey home after the Trojan War forms the heart of the story. Damon described Odysseus as a deeply human character who struggles with the consequences of his own decisions.

·         Anne Hathaway portrays Penelope, Odysseus's loyal wife, who waits 20 years for his return while resisting more than 100 men seeking to marry her and claim the throne of Ithaca.

·         Tom Holland stars as Telemachus, the son of Odysseus and Penelope. Having grown up without knowing his father, he sets out to learn what happened to him. Nolan said the film is both a homecoming story and a coming-of-age adventure.

·         Robert Pattinson plays Antinous, the leading suitor trying to marry Penelope. Nolan said Pattinson gives the character a memorable mix of menace and dark humour.

·         Zendaya appears as Athena, the Greek goddess of wisdom and warfare, who guides Odysseus throughout his journey. Zendaya said she wanted to present the goddess with both strength and humanity.

·         Lupita Nyong'o takes on two roles — Helen of Sparta, whose abduction sparked the Trojan War, and her sister Clytemnestra. She said the film explores the lasting emotional cost of war rather than simply retelling familiar myths.

·         Charlize Theron plays Calypso, the nymph who keeps Odysseus on her island during his long voyage home.

·         John Leguizamo portrays Eumaeus, the faithful swineherd who remains loyal to Odysseus despite his long absence. In the film, the character is nearly blind as a tribute to Homer, who some historians believe was blind.

·         Jon Bernthal appears as Menelaus, the King of Sparta and husband of Helen, who shares memories of Odysseus with Telemachus.

·         Benny Safdie plays Agamemnon, commander of the Greek forces during the Trojan War.

·         Samantha Morton portrays Circe, the powerful sorceress who crosses paths with Odysseus and his crew.

·         Himesh Patel plays Eurylochus, Odysseus's trusted second-in-command who accompanies him through many of the epic's greatest challenges.

·         Elliot Page appears as Sinon, a veteran of the Trojan War drawn from Greek mythology.

·         Bill Irwin portrays the Cyclops, the one-eyed giant and son of Poseidon. Nolan said the production combined puppetry, animatronics and computer-generated effects to bring the character to life while giving him emotional depth rather than presenting him as simply a monster.

·         Mia Goth plays Melantho, one of Penelope's servants.

·         Corey Hawkins portrays Polybus, one of Penelope's suitors.

·         Travis Scott appears as a bard in the royal court of Ithaca.

With its mix of myth, adventure and an all-star cast, Nolan's adaptation aims to introduce one of literature's greatest stories to a new generation of moviegoers.