Speaking at the Mumbai premiere alongside Christopher Nolan and Matt Damon, Tom Holland opened up about his first collaboration with the acclaimed filmmaker, his role as Telemachus, and why filming The Odyssey entirely with IMAX cameras was a unique experience.
Hollywood actor Tom Holland described Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey as a “love letter to cinema” while addressing the media at the film’s India premiere in Mumbai.
The event marked the first official India premiere of a Christopher Nolan film, with the Oscar-winning director attending alongside Holland and co-star Matt Damon.
Based on Homer’s legendary Greek epic, The Odyssey marks Holland’s first collaboration with Nolan, one of contemporary cinema’s most celebrated filmmakers.
Tom Holland: ‘A Love Letter To Cinema’
Reflecting on the experience of working on the ambitious project, Holland said the film was created with audiences firmly at its heart.
“There really was a sense that this movie is a love letter to cinema, and therefore to our audiences. I think feeling that pressure on a daily basis was really exciting, and in some circumstances, pressure is a privilege,” Holland told reporters.
Holland On Playing Telemachus
In The Odyssey, Holland portrays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, who grows up waiting for his father’s return while protecting his family’s kingdom alongside his mother, Penelope.
The actor said he viewed the character’s journey as one of cinema’s earliest coming-of-age stories.
“For me, it feels very much like the original coming-of-age story. I think exploring something like that in a movie of this size was really exciting,” he said.
Praises Christopher Nolan’s Storytelling
Holland also highlighted Nolan’s ability to balance grand-scale filmmaking with emotional storytelling.
According to the actor, despite the film’s massive scope, the emotional core remains its biggest strength.
“The scope and the scale doesn’t come at the behest of the emotion… You’ll get to feel the heartache that Matt portrays so well. You’ll get to feel the longing of Anne Hathaway’s Penelope,” Holland said.
Filmed Entirely With IMAX Cameras
The Odyssey has made history as the first feature film to be shot entirely using IMAX cameras.
Speaking about the filming process, Holland said the technology created an immersive experience that made audiences feel present during even the most intimate scenes.
“It was so exciting shooting those really intimate moments on an IMAX camera because it felt like when we were making the movie, you guys were already in the room with us,” he said.
Star-Studded Cast And Release Date
Produced by Universal Pictures and Syncopy, The Odyssey features an ensemble cast including:
- Tom Holland
- Matt Damon
- Anne Hathaway
- Robert Pattinson
- Lupita Nyong’o
- Zendaya
- Charlize Theron
- Samantha Morton
The film is scheduled to release in Indian theatres on July 16, a day ahead of its worldwide release on July 17.