Tom Holland praised director Christopher Nolan’s vision for The Odyssey, revealing what made this film—described as “an absolute masterpiece”—different from any other project he has ever worked on.
The actor, best known for playing Spider-Man in the MCU, will also star this summer in the latest cinematic epic from the director of Tenet and Oppenheimer, inspired by Homer’s epic poem. The British star plays Telemachus, son of Ulysses, the lead character portrayed by Matt Damon. In some ways, this is the most important role of his career, and if his performance is well-received, The Odyssey could mark a major turning point for Tom Holland: while he has enjoyed success outside the MCU as well, an acclaimed performance in such a high-profile film directed by such an important filmmaker would be a huge milestone for the actor.
It’s no coincidence that, in an interview with GQ about his role in the new Vuori campaign, Tom Holland was asked to describe his experience on the set of the fantasy film directed by the man behind The Dark Knight, Inception, and Dunkirk.
“I can tell you it’s an absolute masterpiece, and I stand by that statement. Chris Nolan’s film is fantastic. It’s unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I think that, after watching it, I asked myself a question I hadn’t asked about a movie in a long time: ‘How did you do that?’ I think that with CGI and things like that, we’ve gotten used to seeing these incredible things on screen and take it for granted that very intelligent people with great artistic talent are capable of creating anything on a computer. But Chris is clearly trying to do everything as practically as possible right on set. And there were some sequences in the movie where, as I was watching them, I thought, ‘How on earth did he do that? It must be CGI.’ And after the movie, I asked him, ‘Excuse me, but that was definitely CGI, right?’ And he replied, ‘No, no, no, it’s all special effects done on set. Everything was planned and prepared down to the smallest detail.”
Tom Holland added: “So I think fans are really going to be blown away by the film’s sets and sequences, because even I—who was on set and took part in the filming—was absolutely blown away by the scale, the scope, and its ability to handle such a complex and touching story within this crazy action movie.”
The star of Spider-Man: Brand New Day continued: “It’s one of my greatest achievements as an actor, and I’m deeply moved that Chris gave me the opportunity to be part of the film. And I truly believe the audience will be blown away.”
This is truly remarkable praise, in line with both the public’s expectations of Nolan and the few glimpses offered by the first trailer for The Odyssey. The director’s choice to prioritize practical special effects—while consistent with his filmography—is exciting in its own right and will likely help distinguish this film from other similar fantasy blockbusters, which are often based on computer graphics.
Later in the interview, Tom Holland praised Matt Damon, calling him a legend and revealing that he spent a lot of time with him on set: “He was a true leader. This was a very demanding film, and no one worked harder than Matt. He always arrived on set with a smile; he was kind and considerate to the entire crew,” said the Spider-Man actor. “I think he set the tone for everyone, showing us how we should work together on this film.”
The cast of The Odyssey also includes Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Benny Safdie, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Lupita Nyong’o, Will Yun Lee, Benny Safdie, Bill Irwin, Samantha Morton, Jesse Garcia, Corey Hawkins, Josh Stewart, Jimmy Gonzales, Maurice Compte, and Logan Marshall-Green.
It’s worth noting that, according to rumors, Tom Holland’s summer won’t stop with The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which are set to be released on July 16 and 29, respectively, but will also continue with the filming of Avengers: Secret Wars, in which the Spider-Men (his own, as well as those of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield) are said to have significant roles.
