Tom Holland is excited to be part of Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey alongside a star-studded ensemble. He heaped praise upon Nolan’s work based on Homer’s epic poem. The actor, who plays Telemachus in the movie, told Agence France-Presse back in September that The Odyssey is “the best script I’ve ever read.”
Holland is most famous for his turn as Spider-Man in the MCU, appearing in the Sony-Marvel Spider-Man movies and the Avengers movies. Marvel fans might be slightly offended that he hailed Nolan’s script over Avengers: Endgame and Spider-Man: No Way Home. Interestingly, Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives two weeks after Nolan’s film, making this year a big one for Holland.
He also spoke excitedly about the new Spider-Man movie with the outlet. He shared that the movie still felt like his first time despite it being his seventh MCU appearance. He shared, “Yesterday, I was on top of a tank driving down the high street in Glasgow, in front of thousands of fans, and it was awesome. It was so incredible, it was exciting, and exhilarating, and it felt fresh.”
During another interview with GQ Sports, he once again showered praise on his period movie and director. He shared that filming The Odyssey was “the job of a lifetime, without a doubt” and “the best experience I’ve had on a film set.” He shared:
It was exciting. It was different. And I think the movie is going to be unlike anything we’ve ever seen. Working with Chris, getting to know him and Emma [Thomas] 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.
He also talked about the strict nature of The Dark Knight director’s set during his interview with AFP. He shared, “Chris [Nolan] is a real collaborator. He knows what he wants… but it is not an environment where you can’t pitch ideas or build characters in certain ways.”
Earlier, during an interview with BBC Newsround, Holland admitted that he likes “pushing the creative boundaries” on set and improvising his roles. He even admitted that he had pushed it too far sometimes and was scolded by directors. However, Nolan probably wouldn’t allow it on his set.
The Odyssey Might Help Tom Holland Break the Franchise Trap
Tom Holland is trapped in the Spider-Man franchise for Marvel and Sony. His movies outside of the MCU have largely failed to impress audiences. While the Spider-Man actor is one of the biggest young movie stars now, he is traveling down a dangerous path.
His Marvel predecessors like Chris Evans, who played Captain America, Chris Hemsworth, who played Thor, and even a major DC star like Henry Cavill, have all fallen victim to this franchise trap. Their movies outside of their franchise hardly made any impact on their careers.
Holland debuted in his most famous role in Captain America: Civil War in 2016, playing the third live-action iteration of Spider-Man. Fans immediately celebrated him in the role, and Holland went on to receive three solo movies in the role. His role was so popular that it became inseparable from his public image.
Adding to that, he started dating his Spider-Man co-star Zendaya and is currently engaged to her. It might also contribute to his image being attached to Spider-Man. His MCU movies have grossed billions at the box office, with his Spider-Man movies alone grossing nearly $4 billion.
Tom Holland’s Spider-Man moviesBox OfficeRT ScoreIMDb ScoreSpider-Man: Homecoming (2017)$880,166,92492%7.4/10Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)$1,131,927,99691%7.3/10Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)$1,910,982,77093%8.2/10
This immense popularity from Marvel films prompted studios to cast him in random big-budget projects. These risk-averse studios relied solely on Holland’s star power and put him in some terribly told stories. The result was movies like Chaos Walking, Cherry, and Uncharted.
He also appeared in voice acting gigs in some poorly made movies, including Dolittle and Onward. Holland is changing tracks with his appearance in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Tom Holland Calls Matt Damon One of His Heroes
Tom Holland as Telemachus in The Odyssey | Credits: Universal Pictures
Matt Damon plays Odysseus in the movie, while Holland plays Telemachus. The movie has a star-studded cast, including Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, and Elliot Page. During his interview with GQ Sports, Holland revealed his excitement about working in the movie with these great names.
He further went on to share that Damon and Hathaway had always been his heroes. He shared:
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.
Universal has once again become the home to a Nolan film after the Oscar-winning film Oppenheimer. The filming took place in Morocco and Sicily. With Nolan’s Oppenheimer receiving critical, commercial, and award success, fans expect nothing short of greatness from The Odyssey. It also proves that Holland is eyeing collaborations with major Hollywood directors.
What do you think of Holland’s comments about The Odyssey? Let us know in the comments below!
The Odyssey is set to be released in theaters on July 17, 2026.
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