Tom Holland is about to have the biggest summer of his life. He stars in Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey, releasing July 17, 2026. Just two weeks later, on July 31, he returns as Peter Parker in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. But getting both movies made almost did not happen.
Holland recently revealed in a GQ interview that the two films were scheduled to shoot at the same time. He had to make a very uncomfortable phone call to Sony Pictures boss Tom Rothman to ask for a delay. That request changed everything. Holland now says The Odyssey actually saved the new Spider-Man movie.
Tom Holland Asked Sony to Delay ‘Spider-Man’ for Christopher Nolan
The actor knew he could not turn down working with Christopher Nolan. The Odyssey is a dream project for any actor. But he also had a commitment to Sony for the fourth Spider-Man film. Both movies were ready to start production around the same time.
Holland went to Nolan first. He told the director he wanted to do the movie but needed to call Sony first.
“So I said to Chris, like, ‘Look, I want to do this movie, but if I’m going to do it, I’m going to have to call Sony and have a very uncomfortable conversation.’” – Tom Holland
The actor then spoke with Tom Rothman, the chairman of Sony Pictures. Holland asked the studio to push back production on Spider-Man: Brand New Day so he could film The Odyssey first.
Sony agreed to move the schedule. Holland believes the studio trusted Nolan because of his reputation. The director is known for finishing projects on time and not going over budget.
“I think one of the reasons why Sony were happy to move is because Chris has that reputation of, ‘This movie isn’t going to go five months over, and we aren’t actually going to lose Tom for two years.’ Any other director, it might have been a slightly different conversation.” – Tom Holland
Nolan reportedly wrapped The Odyssey nine days ahead of schedule. Holland had only two weeks off before starting Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
How ‘The Odyssey’ Delay Brought in a New Director
The production delay lasted about six months. That break turned out to be a blessing. The original Spider-Man director, Jon Watts, stepped away from the franchise after directing the first three films. Sony needed a replacement.
The extra time allowed the studio to bring in Destin Daniel Cretton. Cretton directed Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings for Marvel. He became available exactly when Sony needed him because of the delay.
“The Odyssey almost saved Spider-Man because we wouldn’t have had Destin. He wouldn’t have been ready to make the movie when we were ready to go. We wouldn’t have had the six-month period to develop the script with Destin to get it to a place where it is now. And I truly believe that we’ve made the best version of any ‘Spider-Man’ movie going.” – Tom Holland
Holland admitted the delay was a hard decision for Sony at first. But looking back, he thinks the studio is happy with how things turned out. The extra development time with Cretton allowed the team to create a stronger script.
Holland also used what he learned on Nolan‘s set to improve Spider-Man. He pushed for better preparation before filming started. He told producers, “Chris does it this way. I think we should do it this way.”
About ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ and ‘The Odyssey’
Spider-Man: Brand New Day is the fourth solo film for Tom Holland as Peter Parker. The previous films were Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017), Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019), and Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021). Holland first played the role in Captain America: Civil War in 2016.
The new movie picks up after the events of No Way Home. At the end of that film, everyone forgot who Peter Parker is. His friends have no memory of him. His girlfriend MJ, played by Zendaya, has a new love interest.
Sony Pictures showed a sneak peek at CinemaCon in April 2026. Tom Rothman called it “nothing like we’ve ever made.” Holland said it is “the most emotional Spider-Man movie we’ve ever made, and in some ways, the most grown up.”
The cast includes Zendaya, Jacob Batalon, Sadie Sink, Mark Ruffalo, Jon Bernthal, and Liza Colon-Zayas. Destin Daniel Cretton directs from a script by Erik Sommers and Chris McKenna, who wrote No Way Home.
The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan‘s adaptation of the classic Greek epic. Matt Damon stars as Odysseus. Tom Holland plays his son, Telemachus. Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, Odysseus’ wife. The cast also includes Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal.
The film was shot worldwide using new IMAX technology. It opens in theaters on July 17, 2026 in the USA, UK, Canada, Australia, India, and worldwide.
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Tom Holland Changed His Mind About Playing Spider-Man After 30
Back in 2021, Tom Holland told GQ that if he was still playing Spider-Man after turning 30, he had “done something wrong.” He turned 30 on June 1, 2026. And he has no plans to stop.
In the same recent GQ interview, Holland addressed his old quote. He admitted he is not sure what he was thinking when he said it.
“I think the truth is that playing Spider-Man has been the joy of my life. I now kind of stand on the plinth of like, I’ll do it for as long as they’ll have me.” – Tom Holland
He joked that he might need to change the quote to age 37. He also admitted the old statement might have been a way to negotiate with Sony for a better deal.
Holland has shown his dedication to the role before. In 2019, he made a tearful personal call to Disney CEO Bob Iger when a deal between Disney and Sony nearly fell apart. Iger later said Holland “cried on the phone,” and the emotion of that call convinced him to make a deal happen.
With Spider-Man: Brand New Day coming July 31, fans will see Holland back in the suit. And if he has his way, it will not be the last time.
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