Alright movie buffs listen up! Christopher Nolan the director who blew our minds with Oppenheimer and Inception is tackling something totally different next: Homer's epic poem The Odyssey. And guess who's been spotted on set looking all kinds of intriguing? None other than our friendly neighborhood Spider-Man Tom Holland! But these set photos are not what you might expect. Get ready for some head-scratching and speculation because this looks like a Nolan movie alright but maybe with a twist.
Cloaks Viking Ships and a Dash of Middle-earth? First Look at Tom Holland in Nolan's Odyssey is Here!
Leaked set photos have surfaced online showing Tom Holland chilling on a massive wooden ship alongside Christopher Nolan himself. Holland is rocking a brown cloak and underneath it looks like he's wearing a wine-red tunic. Sounds kinda Ancient Greece-ish right? But here is where things get a little... unexpected. The ship folks are saying it is not your typical Greek trireme. Nope it looks suspiciously like a Viking longboat! Specifically apparently it is the Draken Harald Hårfagre Norway's biggest modern Viking-style ship. What in the ancient mythology mashup is going on here?
Fans online are already buzzing about Holland's look and the Viking ship. Is Nolan taking some creative liberties with The Odyssey? Is this some kind of alternate history take? Is Telemachus (who many think Holland is playing) going to run into Vikings on his journey to find Odysseus? It is definitely got people wondering what Nolan is cooking up. Hey it wouldn't be a Christopher Nolan movie if it wasn't shrouded in mystery and sparking tons of questions before it even hits theaters.
Is Tom Holland Playing Telemachus? Decoding His Potential Role in The Odyssey
So what role could Tom Holland be playing in The Odyssey? With Matt Damon confirmed as Odysseus himself the most popular theory right now is that Holland is playing Odysseus' son Telemachus. In Homer's epic poem Telemachus has his own important storyline. He goes on a quest to search for his long-lost father who has been MIA after the Trojan War. Telemachus also has to deal with a bunch of annoying suitors trying to woo his mom Penelope back home in Ithaca.
It actually makes sense for Holland to play Telemachus. It would give him a significant role in the story even though the main focus is Odysseus' journey. Telemachus' coming-of-age story and his own mini-adventure could be a cool parallel storyline in Nolan's movie. Plus Holland has definitely got the acting chops to pull off a complex character like Telemachus.
Nolan Goes Epic: Sword-and-Sandals Territory and an All-Star Cast for The Odyssey
Christopher Nolan tackling The Odyssey is already a pretty wild concept. He is known for mind-bending thrillers and complex stories not exactly ancient Greek epics. But that is what makes this project so intriguing. Nolan is stepping into Sword-and-sandals territory for the first time and he is doing it in his signature grand scale style.
And just look at this cast it is insane. Besides Matt Damon as Odysseus and potentially Tom Holland as Telemachus we have got Zendaya Robert Pattinson Anne Hathaway Charlize Theron Lupita Nyong’o and Jon Bernthal all on board. That is a seriously stacked lineup. Nolan is known for assembling incredible casts and The Odyssey is no exception.
Vikings in Ancient Greece? Concerns and Excitement as Nolan Takes on a Classic
Okay let's address the Viking ship in ancient Greece elephant in the room. Some fans online are already raising eyebrows about the historical accuracy or lack thereof in these set photos. Is Nolan going full-on anachronistic? Is he playing fast and loose with the source material? Will history buffs spontaneously combust?
It's true that Viking longboats are definitely not from ancient Greece. But hey it's a movie right? And it is Christopher Nolan. Maybe the Viking ship is a deliberate stylistic choice. Maybe there is some kind of fantastical or alternate reality element to Nolan's Odyssey. Or maybe it's just a cool-looking boat and we are all overthinking it. Either way it is definitely generating buzz and conversation.
Some folks are worried that Nolan might be going too far off the rails or that he is letting his post-Oppenheimer success give him totally free rein. But others are excited for a potentially bold and imaginative reinterpretation of a classic text. Let's be real a straight-up totally faithful adaptation might be a bit boring for Nolan. He likes to push boundaries and surprise audiences. Maybe this Viking ship is just the start of some truly unexpected choices in his take on The Odyssey.
Tom Holland Beyond Spider-Man: Can The Odyssey Break a Worrisome Trend?
For Tom Holland this role in The Odyssey could be really significant for his career outside of Spider-Man. While his Spider-Man movies have been massive hits his non-MCU projects have had a bit more mixed reception. Movies like Cherry Uncharted and the TV series The Crowded Room did not exactly set the world on fire critically even though Holland is a talented actor.
Working with Christopher Nolan on The Odyssey is a chance for Holland to show a different side of his acting abilities and maybe break out of being solely known as Spider-Man. A successful collaboration with Nolan could really boost his prestige and open up new doors for him in Hollywood. Plus after The Odyssey Holland is set to return to the MCU for Spider-Man 4 and potentially more Avengers movies so he is definitely keeping busy in both blockbuster and potentially more serious film worlds.
Key Things to Know About Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey:
- Director: Christopher Nolan
- Starring: Matt Damon (Odysseus) Tom Holland (Rumored as Telemachus) Zendaya Robert Pattinson Anne Hathaway Charlize Theron Lupita Nyong’o Jon Bernthal and more.
- Genre: Epic Adventure Based on Homer's Poem
- Release Date: July 17 2026
- Filming Location: Greece (Set photos show filming on a Viking-style ship)
- Plot: Based on Homer's Odyssey focusing on Odysseus' long journey home after the Trojan War and his son Telemachus' search for him.
Final Verdict: Cautiously Optimistic for Nolan's Odyssey - Bring on the Unexpected!
So yeah The Odyssey set photos are definitely a bit of a head-scratcher with that Viking ship. But it is Christopher Nolan we are talking about. He rarely does anything predictable. Maybe this is all part of some grand vision we can't quite grasp yet. Maybe it will be a brilliant reimagining of a classic. Or maybe it will just be Nolan being Nolan on a big budget. Either way it's going to be interesting to watch unfold. Color us cautiously optimistic and definitely intrigued to see more from Nolan's The Odyssey. Bring on the unexpected!