‘India is showing the future is in theatres’, says The Odyssey team | Hollywood News

4 min readJul 12, 2026 06:52 AM Writer-director Chropher Nolan has made films that journey through dreams, time, memory and space. But with The Odyssey, the filmmaker says he has undertaken perhaps his most epic cinematic adventure yet.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, alongside his wife and producer Emma Thomas, actors Matt Damon and Tom Holland, Nolan described the adaptation of Homer’s epic as the most challenging production of his career, and explained why he had long wanted to unveil one of his films in India.
Nolan said during his previous visits to India, he was struck the country’s appreciation for movies. The filmmaker had originally planned to return with Tenet (2020), parts of which were shot in Mumbai, but the Covid-19 pandemic scuttled that plan. “So, being able to come here is something we’ve wanted for years,” he said.
Also Read – Tom Holland thought Chropher Nolan wasn’t happy with his performance on The Odyssey
Thomas echoed his views. “There’s been a lot of talk about people not going to theatres anymore. India is showing us that the future is in theatres.”
According to Nolan, director of The Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), and Oppenheimer (2023), what is really unique about The Odyssey is its scale. “Every film we’ve made has its own challenges, but this one felt like it had many challenges,” said Nolan, a day after the movie’s special screening in Mumbai on Thursday.
Filmed across multiple countries, the production involved a series of enormous set-pieces, each demanding months of planning. Unlike his previous films that might revolve around one particularly complex sequence, The Odyssey, Thomas said, presented one after another. “Every time you finished one and felt good about it, you realised that next week there was another one waiting,” she said.Story continues below this ad
The logical challenge, however, was matched the commitment of what Nolan repeatedly described as an extraordinary international crew that came together across Morocco, Greece, Italy, Iceland and other locations.

For Holland, who plays Telemachus, the scale of the production became apparent even before he faced the camera. Recalling his first visit to the set in Morocco, Holland said he climbed a sand dune expecting to see a film unit, but found what looked like a scene from another era. “It felt more like I had gone back in time than walked onto a film set,” he said.
Thousands of costumed performers, hundreds of boats lining the shoreline and elaborate battle sequences stretched across the landscape. “I remember an assant director telling me, ‘just keep walking and eventually you’ll find the crew’. It felt like I walked for miles before I finally saw Matt and Chris at the centre of it all.”
Damon, who plays the film’s protagon Odysseus, said even after decades in Hollywood, the production astonished him. Describing a particular sequence set during the fall of Troy, Damon recalled performing amid burning buildings, thousands of extras and actors running through the battlefield on fire. Just as the take ended, the film’s Oscar-winning cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema casually reminded him that the sequence they had painstakingly mounted was only a flashback.Story continues below this ad
Also Read – ‘I’ve never been anywhere else’: Chropher Nolan praises India’s love for cinema
Despite its scale, the actor believes the story’s enduring power lies in its emotional complexity. “Odysseus has to live with the consequences of his choices. That’s what makes him fascinating,” said Damon.
The production also marked a technological milestone for Nolan. The Odyssey is his first feature filmed entirely using IMAX cameras. He said advances in the equipment made it possible to shoot every scene in IMAX while preserving performances. “We’re trying to give audiences the most immersive experience we possibly can.”
Holland said acting for IMAX demanded a different discipline. “There’s almost as much difference between film acting and IMAX acting as there is between stage acting and film acting,” he said, noting that subtle performances become magnified on giant screens.
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Alaka Sahani is a prominent film critic and journal based in Mumbai. With a career spanning over two decades, she has established herself as one of India’s most authoritative voices in cinematic journalism, known for an analytical approach and insights that transcend the standard cycle of celebrity journalism.

Expertise & Accolades
In 2014, Alaka was honoured with the National Film Award for Best Film Critic. Her Swarna Kamal (Golden Lotus) citation specifically lauded her for “highlighting facets of cinema beyond glamour and gossip” and for her ability to delve into the contemporary relevance of iconic filmmakers. Her commitment to journalic integrity was further recognised in 2019 with a Special Mention at the Red Ink Awards for her investigative feature, ‘In Search of a Star’. Her article titled ‘People Like Us’, published in The Indian Express on March 27, 2022, was shortled for Red Ink Award, 2023.

Global Industry Leadership
Alaka’s expertise is sought after major international and domestic film bodies:

Golden Globes: In 2025, she joined the international voting body for the 83rd Annual Golden Globes.

National Film Awards: She served on the prestigious jury for the 68th National Film Awards, helping select the finest contributions to Indian cinema.

Global Perspective: Her work consently bridges the gap between commercial Bollywood A-lers and emerging independent talents, offering nuanced insights into both Indian regional cinema and international film trends.

Focus & Vision
Beyond the screen, Alaka is a dedicated observer of Mumbai’s vibrant theatre scene and the horical evolution of the moving image. Through her long-form articles and deep-dive interviews, she continues to challenge “tried-and-tested” templates, providing readers with a deep understanding of the artic and systemic workings of the Indian and global film industry. … Read More

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