Hyperbole or the real deal?
Tom Holland is the latest to heap effusive praise on Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” calling it “the job of a lifetime.” The 29-year-old actor, who plays Telemachus in the film, spoke to GQ this week and didn’t hold back on his enthusiasm:
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. I think the movie is going to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen.
Holland’s comments align with what The Odyssey’s stunt coordinator, James Newman, said last month during a rare behind-the-scenes interview:
They’re never going to make a movie like this again. I think it’s going to be an epic of all epics. It’s going to be Nolan at his best. No holds barred.
If these words sound hyperbolic, keep in mind they’re being said about a filmmaker who has continuously attempted to push technical and narrative boundaries with each film.
For “The Odyssey,” Nolan is reportedly taking the most ambitious swing of his career: a mythological epic told through the lens of hard science fiction and grounded realism, shot almost entirely with IMAX cameras, including extended sequences on the open sea, volcanic islands, and massive set builds recreating the ancient world.
“The Odyssey” is Nolan’s most expensive film to date ($250M); Warner Bros. reportedly gave him a blank check after the $1B success of Oppenheimer. Oh, and six months in, it’s still shooting, having recently moved its production to Scotland.
“The Odyssey” is as epic as it gets. Adapting Homer’s sprawling 8th-century BCE poem was always going to be a monumental undertaking — the kind of story that practically demands a runtime well north of three hours. But make no mistake: this isn’t just another ambitious project for Christopher Nolan. It’s shaping up to be the biggest creative risk of his career.
With a July 2026 release locked in and early buzz from post-production sounding very optimistic, it’s clear the industry — and audiences — aren’t tampering their expectations, bracing for something monumental. Whether “The Odyssey” becomes Nolan’s that remains to be seen.