Tom Holland recently admitted that he was convinced Christopher Nolan was unhappy with his performance on the set of The Odyssey. Holland will star in Nolan’s star-studded adaptation of the epic, which will hit theaters on July 17, 2026. The actor recently reflected on his first experience working with Nolan and shared a behind-the-scenes moment from set as he talked about the difficulties of shooting with IMAX cameras.

While the experience ultimately had a simple explanation, Holland admitted there was a moment on set when he genuinely believed something had gone wrong. 

Tom Holland thought Christopher Nolan was unhappy with his acting during the filming of The Odyssey because the director kept calling cut during scenes. Later, the actor found out that the interruptions had nothing to do with his performance and were the result of the technical limitations of IMAX cameras, which can only record about three minutes of film at a time. Holland told the funny story as he talked about his first project with Nolan. 

"I was with John like, ‘Why does he keep cutting?’ In my head I’m thinking, ‘Does he not like what we’re doing? What is happening?’” Holland said, while talking to Fasndigo, as he confessed that the repeated interruptions left him briefly confused. 

The reality was something else as Nolan was very pleased with her performance. In fact, he named Holland as among the best actors of his generation when discussing their first collaboration on The Odyssey. The celebrated director praised Holland’s commitment to the craft and his role as Telemachus. Nolan's comments came head of the film's long-awaited theatrical release later this month. 

“Incredible Talent” – Christopher Nolan Commends Tom Holland’s Talent, Hints at Future Collaborations

Beyond the behind-the-scenes story, The Odyssey is already shaping up to be one of Nolan's most ambitious films. 

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic. It tells the story of King Odysseus and his struggle to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. He meets mythical characters on his journey, including the Cyclops, the Sirens, Circe and Calypso, as he tries to be reunited with his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus. The story also follows Telemachus, who is on a quest to find his absent father and is training to defend his family.

Matt Damon is Odysseus, Tom Holland is Telemachus, and Anne Hathaway is Penelope. It also stars Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, and Jon Bernthal. It is Nolan’s biggest film to date, with a reported $250 million budget and the first feature to be shot entirely with IMAX 70mm cameras.

While there was a moment of confusion on set, Holland’s experience ultimately highlighted the unique challenges of filming with Nolan and IMAX film-making. As The Odyssey prepares to bring Homer’s legendary story to the big screen with an all-star cast and an ambitious scale, excitement continues to build ahead of its theatrical release. Holland’s behind-the-scenes tale has only fueled the buzz around one of 2026’s most anticipated movies.

Tom Holland Couldn’t Figure Out How Christopher Nolan Made 'The Odyssey' Without CGI

Could Tom Holland's role as Telemachus become one of his most memorable performances? Let us know in the comments.