Tom Holland Calls Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ “The Job of a Lifetime,” Says It’ll Be “Unlike Anything We’ve Ever Seen”

Christopher Nolan is taking on one of the oldest stories in the world with his upcoming movie The Odyssey. The film, based on Homer’s classic poem, follows the long journey of Greek hero Odysseus as he tries to make it back home after the Trojan War.

Nolan has put together a huge cast for this one, and it’s shaping up to be his biggest movie yet.

Matt Damon plays Odysseus, while Tom Holland steps in as his son, Telemachus. Other stars in the film include Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal.

Theron will appear as the witch-goddess Circe. The movie is being made by Nolan’s production company Syncopy and will be released by Universal Pictures.

After the massive success of Oppenheimer, Nolan began writing The Odyssey. According to reports from Variety and The Hollywood Reporter, Universal officially announced the film in late 2024, with production beginning in early 2025. Filming has been taking place across the globe, from Morocco and Greece to Italy, Scotland, Iceland, and the U.S.

The movie is also reportedly Nolan’s most expensive one so far, with a budget of around $250 million. It’s also the first major film to be shot completely with IMAX film cameras, using newly developed lightweight versions of the equipment.

In an interview, Tom Holland opened up about the experience of working on the film. “It was amazing. The job of a lifetime, without a doubt. The best experience I’ve had on a film set. Incredible. It was exciting. It was different. And I think the movie is going to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen,” he said.

He also praised Nolan and his producing partner Emma Thomas. “Working with Chris, getting to know him and Emma was absolutely fantastic. I’ve never seen someone that can work the way that they do, and there is a reason why they’re the best in the business for sure. To get a front row seat to that and to be a part of the process and to collaborate with a true master of his craft and learn from him was the best experience I’ve ever had.”

Holland also shared how meaningful it was to work with some of the other cast members. “Matt Damon has always been a hero of mine, Anne Hathaway has always been a hero of mine. So to share scenes with them, to learn from them, to become friends with them, I couldn’t have asked for a better job.”

The movie tells the story of Odysseus’s journey back home to Ithaca. Along the way, he faces all kinds of dangers, giant monsters like the Cyclops, strange creatures like the Sirens, and powerful beings like Circe. According to Universal, the movie sticks close to the original story but brings Nolan’s usual epic style.

Filming started on February 25, 2025, in Morocco. In March, the cast and crew shot scenes in Greece at locations like Methoni Castle and Nestor’s Cave. According to reports from local Greek outlets and Variety, the crew worked with a local company and also benefited from a government rebate program.

After that, they filmed in the Aeolian Islands in Italy, then headed to Los Angeles, Scotland, and Iceland. Production is still going, with more scenes being shot in the UK and Ireland through late July.

The Odyssey is set to hit theaters in the U.S. on July 17, 2026.

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