Updated

Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jul 15

Christopher Nolan Filmed Odyssey Trojan Horse Scene With 20 Actors Inside 40-Foot Prop

Updated

Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jul 15

Christopher Nolan Filmed Odyssey Trojan Horse Scene With 20 Actors Inside 40-Foot Prop

Q: How did Nolan overcome IMAX's sound issues to film the claustrophobic dialogue inside the giant Trojan Horse?

Nolan solved the IMAX sound problem by using a specially muffled camera housing, allowing sync dialogue to be recorded even inside the cramped Trojan Horse. IMAX 70mm cameras are notoriously loud, which normally makes quiet, intimate scenes difficult to shoot live. For *The Odyssey*, Nolan and IMAX developed a custom sound-dampening “blimp” around the camera. Matt Damon described it as coffin-sized and weighing more than 300 pounds, but said it reduced the camera noise enough to make close-quarters dialogue possible. That technical fix was crucial because Nolan chose to film the Trojan Horse sequence practically, with the director, cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, the IMAX camera and around 20 actors all packed inside the set. Damon said Nolan arrived without a rigid shot plan and decided to “cram in there and figure it out,” letting the actors’ real discomfort and lack of space create the claustrophobic energy on screen. Additional workarounds reportedly helped preserve performance in such tight conditions. Because the large IMAX setup could interfere with eyelines, Nolan used mirror arrangements so actors could still connect during dialogue. The result was a rare combination for IMAX filmmaking: a fully practical, enclosed set, live-recorded dialogue, and the immersive visual scale Nolan wanted.

3 articles · Updated · Hollywood Reporter · Jul 15

John Leguizamo said Christopher Nolan climbed inside Odyssey’s 40-foot Trojan Horse with 20 actors, cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema and an IMAX camera to shoot the film’s key ambush scene.
Matt Damon said Nolan had no fixed shooting plan until the day of filming, telling the cast they would “cram in there and figure it out” inside the practical set.
Damon said the cramped setup created real claustrophobia that shaped the sequence’s energy, with Nolan and van Hoytema building the shot in real time rather than staging it in advance.
The practical horse is now on display at Universal Studios Hollywood’s CityWalk, while Odyssey premiered its New York red carpet Tuesday and opens in theaters Friday.