Once again a film forces “Harry Potter” star Ralph Fiennes to make a change. But this time, the transformation was completely different from Voldemort’s transformation.
Ralph Fiennes shocked millions of viewers with his role as Lord Voldemort in the “Harry Potter” films. As is known, he had to change his appearance to the extreme for this role.
Now a new film forces the actor to undergo an equally violent transformation. In “Return to Ithaca,” which will be released on November 27, 2025, he plays Odysseus. To play the legendary hero, Fiennes underwent an impressive physical transformation.
Ralph Fiennies is muscular
The trailer for the film provides a preview of the upcoming fantasy spectacle and increases anticipation for the epic tale. And they showed an actor Ralph Fiennes he had never seen before.
Instead of lots of makeup and a big cape, Fiennes is seen shirtless in the film, with a bushy beard and long hair. One thing is immediately apparent: the steel body. Fiennes has built up a lot of muscle.
This is the essence of “Return to Ithaca.”
In “Return to Ithaca,” Odysseus returns to his kingdom after 20 years, almost unrecognizable. There he must fight off intruders who are holding his wife Penelope (Juliette Binoche) captive and threatening his power.
Odysseus’ son Telemachus (Charlie Plummer) is in great danger because he stands in the way of the invaders. The hero’s dramatic return presents many challenges and offers exciting moments in the film.
Christopher Nolan also reinterpreted the Odyssey
This epic action film premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2024 and was released in US cinemas in early December 2024. In Germany it will not follow until late November 2025.
In 2026, Christopher Nolan will bring “The Odyssey,” a comprehensive adaptation of the ancient heroic epic, to theaters. Matt Damon plays Odysseus, while Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland play Penelope and Telemachus.
