When Christopher Nolan takes on a project, fans automatically have high expectations. Known for ‘Inception’, ‘Tenet’, and ‘Oppenheimer’, Nolan has now set his sights on one of the oldest and most enduring stories in literature: Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’.
With Matt Damon leading as Odysseus, and a star-studded cast that includes Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Mia Goth, and Elliot Page, Nolan’s version of the Greek classic already feels like an event in the making. However, what makes this project even more fascinating is how its cast members describe Nolan’s approach.
Corey Hawkins On Christopher Nolan’s Indie Approach For ‘The Odyssey’
At this year’s Toronto International Film Festival, Corey Hawkins spoke to SR while promoting his new film, ‘The Man in My Basement’. Asked about ‘The Odyssey’, Hawkins was careful not to give away spoilers. However, the actor’s admiration for Nolan’s style was impossible to miss. “Interestingly enough, Mr. Nolan, Chris, is very, I would say, indie filmmaking on a very different budget,” Hawkins explained. “Just the efficiency with which he works. He’s just a master of detail, and I cannot wait for people to see this movie.”
What Hawkins touches on is something that defines Nolan’s filmmaking philosophy. Nolan is known to have a meticulous eye for detail that never gets lost. For all the IMAX spectacle of his films, Nolan tends to approach his stories like an independent filmmaker. That philosophy could prove essential in adapting ‘The Odyssey’, a sprawling epic full of gods, monsters, and journeys across land and sea.
Hawkins suggests that Nolan is not interested in merely showing audiences mythical creatures or dazzling landscapes. Instead, he’s building an epic that is human at its core. The film will be a story of one man’s longing to return home, told with an indie spirit magnified onto the biggest possible screen. “It really is… It’s going to be epic in a different sort of way,” Hawkins added. Instead, Nolan seems intent on reshaping what “epic” means.
Tom Holland Calls ‘The Odyssey’ “The Best Script I’ve Ever Read”
If Hawkins provided the first hint of Nolan’s direction, Tom Holland has offered an even bolder endorsement. Cast as Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, Holland has not held back his admiration for the project. In an interview with Agence France-Presse, he called the screenplay “the best script I’ve ever read.” For a young actor who has worked on everything from the Spider-Man franchise to prestige dramas, that kind of statement carries weight.
In case you missed it: Charlize Theron Officially Cast As Circe In Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’
Holland described Nolan as both a visionary and a collaborator: “Chris knows what he wants… but it is not an environment where you can’t pitch ideas or build characters in certain ways.” This collaborative spirit is something that has endeared Nolan to actors across generations. While he often arrives on set with a crystal-clear vision, he leaves room for actors to inhabit their roles fully. This contributes to the film’s authenticity.
For a character like Telemachus, this opens the door for a more nuanced exploration of a young man caught between myth and reality, searching for his father and his own identity. In earlier interviews, Holland doubled down on his praise. He called the shoot “the job of a lifetime, without a doubt” and “the best experience I’ve had on a film set.” He feels ‘The Odyssey’ is taking him into uncharted creative territory.
