Thank goodness The Odyssey is one of the highest-grossing films of the 2026 movie schedule, because Christopher Nolan absolutely does not cut corners on set. The writer, director and producer filmed just about everything in the three-hour movie practically and in camera (as opposed to relying on CGI). And, Tom Holland made some comments about how it really felt to witness it all come together on set.
While much of The Odyssey cast have watched Christopher Nolan work before, the movie marked Tom Holland’s first time working with the filmmaker. So, the way the director worked really blew his mind. Here’s one moment he recalled from the movie that really amazed him:
I think visiting the set, and watching The Siege of Troy. I have never seen anything like that before. And, I couldn’t believe how quickly they could put it on fire, and then just turn it off again. I remember this tree was completely engulfed in flames. And then, [Nolan] called cut, and I was like, ‘Well, that tree’s finished.’ And, it just went out. It was literally like a tap. It was amazing.
During a roundtable for Entertainment Weekly, Holland recalled being on the set where the Troy scenes were shot in Aït Benhaddou, Morocco. The Spider-Man: Brand New Day actor isn’t in the scene himself, but he had the chance to see it all take place. He was amazed by the production’s swift use of fire during the Siege of Troy, and how can you blame him? It sounds like he felt like he was watching a magic trick happen in front of his eyes.
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The Odyssey’s production designer, Ruth De Jong, also told Condé Nast Traveler that Troy was built on two and a half acres. They were given the go-ahead to burn their sets as long as it didn’t damage the adjoining village. So, while you might think that scene could be ridden with CGI, everything was actually ablaze on set. During the same roundtable interview, The Odyssey’s Odysseus Matt Damon recalled his own experience filming the Siege of Troy with these words:
The moment that we opened the gates of Troy, we didn’t know that Agamemnon and an army of 750 were on the other side. We just thought we were taking it to the opening of the door, and we opened the door and I will never forget seeing Benny [Safdie] in that costume standing in the middle. It looked like it was Benny and it was 20 guys because it was dark behind them. And then this roar, and 500 people came running.
As if Christopher Nolan really putting Troy sets on fire and getting hundreds of extras to surprise the actors wasn’t enough, there’s more! They also really built the Trojan Horse out of wood and filmed a dozen actors crammed inside, too. No wonder it felt so real – the filmmaker did as much as he could to really bring it to life on the set of the flick.
Not every movie has the privilege of being made the way Christopher Nolan made The Odyssey. It reportedly cost $250 million before marketing costs. It’s reportedly heading toward a $1 billion worldwide gross on Friday (per The Wrap). So, it feels like the filmmaker can definitely achieve the impossible again should another big idea come to him. Holland’s experiences on set definitely speak to the big feat accomplished on The Odyssey.