Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is already being hailed as a filmmaking feast, but for stars Lupita Nyong'o and Himesh Patel, the real magic happened in the pressure cooker of IMAX 70mm. In a recent interview, the duo peeled back the curtain on Nolan's famously economical directing style and the intense time constraints that come with shooting an entire epic on the world's largest film format.
Nyong'o, who plays both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, and Patel, who portrays Eurylochus—Odysseus's second-in-command and brother-in-law—sat down with Collider's Steven Weintraub to discuss their experience on the set of Nolan's most massive feature to date. The film, which stars Matt Damon as King Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Queen Penelope, and Tom Holland as Telemachus, was shot entirely in IMAX 70mm, a format that limits each take to just two and a half minutes.
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When asked how Nolan transported the cast back to Ancient Greece, Patel laughed and revealed the director's not-so-secret weapon: "He surrounded himself with some of the best production designers, costume designers, cinematographer, the amazing people who all brought this together to create that world." It's a classic Nolan move—let the craftspeople do their job, and the actors will follow.
But the real revelation came when the actors described Nolan's directing style. Nyong'o explained, "He's not prescriptive, except for when he has to be, especially because we were working with IMAX and you have two and a half minutes. So sometimes we were going too long, and you've just got to tighten it up." She added that his notes are "succinct" and "inspire a new thought." Patel echoed that sentiment, noting that Nolan doesn't give notes unless they're necessary. "When he does give you a note, it'll be exactly what you needed to hear," Patel said.
This economy of direction is a hallmark of Nolan's filmmaking, as seen in his previous works like Inception and The Prestige. On The Odyssey, it was amplified by the technical demands of IMAX, where every second counts.
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For Patel, the experience was a masterclass in humility and gratitude. "What he does on his sets and what he and Emma [Thomas] do, I suppose, they democratize everything. No one gets preferential treatment. We're all in the thick of it together," he said. That collaborative environment, where everyone from the lead actors to the crew is equally present, left a lasting impression.
Nyong'o, meanwhile, took away a lesson about impact over screen time. "It just reinforced for me that it doesn't matter the size of the role. For me, it's about the impact," she said. Despite her characters having relatively limited screen time, she felt "very additive" to the story—a testament to Nolan's ability to make every moment count.
The film's production spanned the globe, and the cast included heavyweights like Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, and John Leguizamo. With critics already calling it a "filmmaking feast," The Odyssey is poised to be one of the year's biggest cinematic events. For fans of Nolan's meticulous craft, this behind-the-scenes glimpse only deepens the anticipation.
As the film prepares for its release, audiences can also dive deeper into the world of The Odyssey with two official companion books announced by the studio. And for those who want to revisit Nolan's earlier work, The Prestige is leaving Peacock in August 2026, so now is the time to stream it.
