Warning: This post contains some spoilers for Homer’s Odyssey.The world finally got to learn more about Tom Holland’s character and his story in Christopher Nolan’s upcoming fantasy blockbuster, The Odyssey. Based on Homer’s classic Greek epic, Nolan’s adaptation of The Odyssey follows the Ithacan King Odysseus (Matt Damon) as he attempts to return home after fighting in the Trojan War, only to encounter several gods and monsters that stand in his way.
The first trailer for The Odyssey revealed that Holland is playing Odysseus’ son, Telemachus, who embarks on a quest of his own to find his father. The trailer’s focus on Telemachus suggests that 2026’s The Odyssey will give him a significant role as one of the film’s dual protagonists, making for a compelling story of a father and son trying to reunite.
Tom Holland’s Telemachus Wants To Learn What Happened To Odysseus
Suitors Want To Marry Odysseus’ Wife & Claim The Throne
Telemachus sits with Jon Bernthal’s character in The Odyssey‘s trailer, hearing stories of what could have happened to Odysseus. It is suggested that Odysseus became rich or poor after fighting in the Trojan War. Other stories suggest that Odysseus died or was imprisoned somewhere.
However, Bernthal’s character denies the latter story, asking, “What kind of prison could hold a man like that?” The footage then cuts to Odysseus lying on a raft in the middle of the ocean, implying that he had survived the destruction of his ship.
The trailer is currently only available to see in theaters ahead of Jurᴀssic World Rebirth.
In Homer’s poem, Telemachus hadn’t seen his father in 20 years when he began his search, having only ever known Odysseus as an infant. Despite this, Telemachus seeks out the missing Odysseus to bring him home and to stop a band of greedy suitors from marrying his mother, Penelope, and becoming the new rulers of Ithaca.
Why Odysseus Has Disappeared In The Odyssey
Does Telemachus Get Answers In The Odyssey Book?
In Homer’s original poem, Telemachus hears stories about his father’s achievements during the Trojan War, as well as his whereabouts after the conflict. It is said in Homer’s Odyssey that Odysseus encountered a variety of extraordinary obstacles on his journey home, including the Lotus-Eaters, the Cyclops Polyphemus, the sorcerer Circe, the sirens, the sea monster Scylla, and the deity Calypso.
While Telemachus’s search for his father may seem futile, it may serve as a framing device in Nolan’s film.
After spending so much time searching for his father, Telemachus only reunites with his father when he returns to Ithaca. There, he finds Odysseus in disguise, having chosen to learn more about what has become of his household in secret before reclaiming his throne.
While Telemachus’s search for his father may seem futile, it may serve as a framing device in Nolan’s film. Audiences could see Odysseus’ story as his son hears it during his quest, depicting the hero’s journey in a unique way.
Based on the trailer and the poem the film is based on, Nolan’s The Odyssey will follow both Odysseus and Telemachus on their respective journeys back to each other after spending so many years apart. This story should give both Damon and Holland the spotlight that they each deserve as two of Hollywood’s most popular leading actors.
It should also give The Odyssey the kind of distinctive and unusual narrative structure that has become a trademark of Nolan’s filmography. By depicting two very different journeys in his epic, Nolan can create an expansive and thrilling world.
