Who is Elliot Page playing in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey — Achilles or Elpenor?
Fans first attached Page to Achilles, but a newer rumor points to Elpenor, the youngest member of Odysseus’ crew. Neither has been confirmed by Universal or Nolan ahead of the film’s July 17, 2026 release. For every confirmed actor and role, see our full Odyssey cast list, or our complete Odyssey movie guide for release details and everything else.
Is Elliot Page Playing Elpenor In The Odyssey?
It’s rumored, not confirmed. The Elpenor theory took off online after the X account Nolan Archives floated it, followed by a widely shared Reddit post, with one social post reportedly racking up millions of views.
Page is officially part of the cast, but Nolan has kept his specific role under wraps, the same secrecy the director used with Marion Cotillard in The Dark Knight Rises, where her true character was hidden through production.
Is Elliot Page Playing Achilles In The Odyssey?
It hasn’t been confirmed — and the rumor has cooled. Universal and Christopher Nolan still have not named Elliot Page’s role in The Odyssey, so “Achilles” was always fan speculation, never official casting. More recently, the Achilles theory has been overtaken by the Elpenor rumor covered above, which fits the trailer footage and Homer’s story more closely.
The Achilles rumor took hold for understandable reasons. Achilles is one of the most famous Greek heroes tied to the Trojan War, so with Page’s role still unnamed, fans naturally looked for where he might fit. The first-look image from the trailer only poured fuel on it: Page appears battle-worn and covered in grime, the kind of look fans expect from a Greek warrior on the battlefield.
That image isn’t proof, though. A combat-ready appearance could just as easily suit other figures in Nolan’s take on the material, and IMDb still hasn’t been updated to reflect Page’s character.
There’s also a context clue working against it. Page’s rumored co-star Lupita Nyong’o has since been confirmed as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, while Page’s role remains the one Universal won’t name. That gap between a confirmed co-star and a still-blank role is part of what kept the Achilles speculation alive.
And it’s worth remembering Achilles isn’t the lead — The Odyssey is Odysseus’ story. Achilles appears only briefly, as a ghost Odysseus meets in the Underworld. That limited footprint is one more reason the Elpenor theory has overtaken the original Achilles rumor.
Who Is Elpenor In The Odyssey?
Elpenor is one of the youngest and least distinguished men on Odysseus’ ship. While the crew stays on Circe’s island, he gets drunk, falls asleep on a rooftop, and falls to his death, with his body left unburied as the crew sails on.
His small role becomes a major emotional beat later: when Odysseus reaches the Underworld, Elpenor is the first spirit he meets, begging not to be left unburied. It forces Odysseus to confront how he treated his own men.
Cast photo reveals clues?
Fans have also pointed to a photo shared by Odyssey cast member Ryan de Quintal — posted last year as a birthday remembrance and showing what appears to be the film’s ship-crew actors gathered at a dinner table — with Page seated among the group.
It’s being passed around as supporting “evidence” for the Elpenor theory, though a cast photo doesn’t confirm anyone’s role and Universal has said nothing either way.
Why Elpenor Fits Better Than Achilles
The earlier theory — that Page is playing Achilles — leaned on a brief, soot-covered glimpse of him in the trailer, where the figure is heard asking who is looking after his wife and son.
That guilt-and-duty framing reads closer to Elpenor’s arc than to the warrior Achilles.
Both characters appear in the Underworld, so the muddy, ghostly look fits either, but the theme of a neglected, unburied crewman matches the kind of character-driven moment Nolan tends to build around.
Has Universal Confirmed Elliot Page’s Role?
No. As of now, neither Nolan, Page, nor Universal has confirmed whether Page is playing Elpenor, Achilles, or another role entirely. The Odyssey opens in theaters on July 17, 2026.
