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Christopher Nolan jokes about The Odyssey and Spider-Man releasing back-to-back: ‘If you see only one Tom Holland film…’
The Odyssey releases in theatres worldwide on July 17, 2026. The film will be available in multiple formats, including IMAX 2D and 4DX.
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan brought plenty of excitement to Mumbai as he premiered his much-awaited film The Odyssey, but it was an unexpected joke about Tom Holland that became one of the biggest highlights of the Saturday morning. Speaking to the media, the Oscar-winning filmmaker mixed heartfelt words with his signature dry humour, drawing loud laughs as he playfully addressed Tom Holland's rare box office face-off with himself.
Christopher Nolan jokes about Tom Holland’s two summer releases
During the press conference in Mumbai on Saturday, Christopher Nolan spoke about the power of cinema to connect people across cultures and why he was thrilled to bring The Odyssey to Indian audiences.
Calling the film a story built around timeless themes that can “bring us together”, the director reflected on how special it was to travel and share the film with audiences around the world. He added that it was wonderful to come to Mumbai, almost saying "far from home," a cheeky nod to Tom Holland's Spider-Man: Far From Home that immediately got the audience laughing.
He said, “I just like to think that films are a universal language. It's one of the reasons. One of the things I most enjoy about working on large-scale films is you get to take them around the world and you get to connect with different cultures all across the world. And I think when films really connect, when they have universal themes and sort of timeless themes, as I hope that that The Odyssey does. It's wonderful how it kind of brings us together, and for us to go on the road and travel and come here, you know. .”
Christopher then delivered the evening's biggest laugh, saying, “So I was about to say far from home. I didn't want say. l was Just gonna say far from home…If you see only one Tom Holland film this summer…” The joke referred to Holland starring in both The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, with the superhero film arriving in Indian theatres just two weeks later on July 30.
Christopher Nolan, Tom Holland and Matt Damon arrive in Mumbai
The event marked the first official India premiere of a Christopher Nolan film. The filmmaker arrived in Mumbai on July 10 along with his wife and producer Emma Thomas, and actors Tom Holland and Matt Damon. The team checked into the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel before attending the grand premiere at PVR ICON IMAX, Phoenix Palladium.
Welcoming the audience, Nolan shared his excitement and said, "You are amongst the first audiences in the world to see this film".
About The Odyssey
Written and directed by Christopher Nolan, The Odyssey is an epic fantasy action film inspired by Homer's classic Greek poem. The story follows King Odysseus (Matt Damon) as he battles monsters, mythical creatures and impossible odds during his ten-year journey back to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Alongside the grand adventure, the film also explores the emotional love story between Odysseus and his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway).
Tom Holland plays Odysseus's son, Telemachus, while the ensemble cast also includes Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron and Samantha Morton. Several actors reportedly signed on to the project before even knowing which characters they would be playing, trusting Nolan's vision.
The Odyssey releases in theatres worldwide on July 17, 2026. The film will be available in multiple formats, including IMAX 2D and 4DX, and has also received clearance from the Indian censor board without any cuts but it has received ‘A’ rating.
