Christopher Nolan has never been one to take the easy route. For his upcoming epic The Odyssey, the Oscar-winning filmmaker didn't just adapt Homer's ancient poem—he reinvented how to shoot a blockbuster. In a recent interview with Collider, stars Tom Holland and Anne Hathaway spilled the beans on Nolan's latest cinematic invention: a custom-built IMAX blimp and mirror system that allowed the director to capture intimate dialogue scenes without sacrificing the format's signature grandeur.
Hathaway, who plays Queen Penelope, explained that the entire film was shot on IMAX cameras—a first for a dialogue-heavy movie. The reason? IMAX cameras are notoriously loud. “The size of the film stock makes the shutter sound like a jackhammer,” she said. “It obliterates any dialogue.” To solve this, Nolan and his team developed a sound-dampening blimp and a mirror rig that let them place the camera far from the actors while still getting close-up shots. “It was truly ingenious,” Hathaway added. “It made the scene feel incredibly private, even though we were surrounded by crew.”
Holland, who plays Telemachus, recalled a pivotal moment with Matt Damon (Odysseus) where the mirror system created an almost magical intimacy. “There was this one scene where I could have leaned in and kissed him,” he joked, referencing his Spider-Man: Brand New Day co-star Jon Bernthal. “The setup made it feel like we were the only two people in the world.”
The cast also praised Nolan's unique directing style. Holland described how the director uses dry British humor to cut tension. “Matt and I were overthinking a big scene, and Chris just stuck his head in and said, ‘Oi, thespians, get on with it! I'm gonna be on the dog.’ It completely freed us up.” Hathaway laughed, adding, “He has a way of making you feel like you're not that important—in the best way possible.”
Production designer Ruth De Jong, who previously worked with Nolan on Tenet, helped bring Ancient Greece to life without relying on CGI. “It felt like we went back in a time machine,” Holland said. “But also forward, because we were breaking barriers with the IMAX tech. It was nostalgic and futuristic at the same time.”
For fans eager to see how Nolan's IMAX innovations evolved, check out how his Dark Knight lens paved the way for The Odyssey. And if you need a primer on the source material, our list of 10 epic films to watch before The Odyssey has you covered.
The Odyssey also stars Zendaya as Athena, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy, and Charlize Theron as Calypso. The film is set to hit theaters next summer.
