Tom Holland Thought Christopher Nolan Hated His ‘Odyssey’ Performance on His First Day Filming: ‘I Thought I Was Totally S—-ing the Bed’

SkimNews Take
Nolan's reliance on practical IMAX cameras creates a built-in communication gap on set: actors reading "cut" as a verdict on their work, when it's really just a magazine reload.
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- Tom Holland revealed on Fandango that he thought Christopher Nolan hated his performance on day one of filming 'The Odyssey' because Nolan kept calling cut during scenes with Jon Bernthal.
- The repeated cuts were caused by Imax cameras, which run only three minutes per magazine — a technical limitation Holland didn't know about before working with the format for the first time.
- Stunt coordinator George Cottle was the one who explained the Imax magazine limit to Holland and Bernthal on set, putting the actor's mind at ease.
- Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Matt Damon's Odysseus, in 'The Odyssey,' which hits theaters July 17, 2026.
- The film's ensemble cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Elliot Page, Benny Safdie, Mia Goth, and John Leguizamo.
- Despite the shaky first day, Holland told GQ in a separate profile that working with Nolan and producer Emma Thomas was 'the best experience I've had on a film set,' calling them 'the best in the business.'
Why it matters: Holland's anecdote exposes the practical constraints of Nolan's Imax-first filmmaking — cameras cap at three minutes per magazine, forcing constant reloads on set. The arc from day-one panic to ultimate praise offers a rare on-the-record look at the nerves and creative dynamic behind one of summer 2026's most star-studded releases.




