Tom Holland has revealed he feared director Christopher Nolan was unhappy with his performance while filming The Odyssey, describing his first day on set as the most intimidating experience of his acting career.
The Spider-Man star said working with Nolan and the production’s IMAX film cameras initially left him feeling anxious, as the director repeatedly stopped filming during one of the movie’s most emotional scenes.
Holland explained that he was unaware IMAX film cameras could only record for about three minutes at a time, leading him to mistakenly believe Nolan was dissatisfied with his performance.
“I remember he would continue cutting, and I was with Jon (Bernthal), like, ‘Why does he keep cutting? Why does he keep doing that?’” Holland recalled.
The actor said his opening day involved one of the most significant emotional moments for his character, making the frequent interruptions even more unsettling.
“It was one of the most important scenes in my character arc,” Holland said, adding that the experience became “the most daunting” of his career.
He later realised the interruptions were simply due to the technical limitations of the IMAX cameras rather than any criticism of his acting.
“Working with the IMAX cameras for the first time is an experience. It is unlike anything I have ever seen before, and I didn’t know that it only ran for three minutes,” Holland explained.
The actor also gave fans a glimpse behind the scenes of The Odyssey by sharing new photos from the production on Instagram.
“From rehearsing by the pool to fighting on the edge of a cliff. Experience The Odyssey in all its glory in IMAX on July 17,” Holland wrote alongside the images.
Directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey is an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem and features a star-studded cast including Matt Damon, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal and Travis Scott.
The film is scheduled to open in cinemas worldwide on July 17, 2026, marking Nolan’s first feature shot entirely using IMAX film cameras.