Tom Holland is best known for playing the MCU's Spider-Man, but this summer, he'll also be front and centre in Christopher Nolan's latest epic, The Odyssey. The British actor is playing Telemachus, the son of Matt Damon's Odysseus.
In some ways, it's the actor's biggest role yet and, provided his work is well-received, The Odyssey could mark a major turning point in the 29-year-old's career. While he's found success outside of the MCU, an acclaimed performance in a Nolan movie would be huge for Holland.
Sitting down with GQ to discuss being part of the new Vuori campaign, Holland was asked about his experience shooting the mythic action tale alongside the filmmaker behind The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, and Oppenheimer.
"I can tell you that it is an absolute masterpiece, and I’m taking myself out of that equation," he enthused. "Chris Nolan’s movie is fantastic. It’s unlike anything that I’ve ever seen before. I think when I saw the movie, I found myself asking a question that I haven’t asked about a movie for a long time, which is, 'How did you do that?'"
"I think with CGI and stuff like that, we’ve become so accustomed to seeing these amazing things on screen and just kind of having the basic understanding that some very clever people and artistic people are able to do that on a computer. But Chris is obviously trying to do everything as practically as possible in camera."
"And there were certain sequences in the movie where I’m watching it and I’m just sort of thinking like, 'How on earth has he done that? That has to be CG,'" Holland continued. "And then after the movie asking him, 'That was definitely CG, right?' And he’s like, 'No, no, no, that’s all in camera effects. Very planned, very prepared.'"
"So I think fans are going to be really, really blown away by the set pieces and sequences throughout the movie, because even as someone that was there on the day and was in the film, I was absolutely blown away by the scale, the scope, his ability to navigate such an intricate and heartfelt story in the middle of this insane kind of action movie."
The Spider-Man: Brand New Day star added, "So it’s one of my proudest achievements as an actor and I’m so touched that Chris gave me the opportunity to be in the film. And I really think that people are going to be floored by the film."
That's high praise indeed, though it lines up both with what moviegoers have come to expect from Nolan and what little we've seen from The Odyssey in trailers.
The filmmaker prioritising practical effects is also exciting, and will likely go a long way in making this movie stand out from similar fantasy blockbusters that have gone down the CG route. Set photos have even confirmed that some scenes were shot on open water, while the massive Trojan Horse was built for real.
Elsewhere in the conversation, Holland praised Damon, confirming they spent a lot of time together on set before declaring his co-star a "legend."
"He was a leader. This was a very tough movie and no one worked harder than Matt did. And he always came to set with a smile on his face and he was gracious and he was so kind to the crew," the actor shared. "And I think he really set the tone for everyone as to how we were going to collectively make 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.
Shot across the world using brand new IMAX film technology, the film brings Homer’s foundational saga to IMAX film screens for the first time and opens in theaters everywhere on July 17, 2026.