Matt Damon Reveals How Tom Holland Became Sony’s Power Player
Matt Damon shares a behind-the-scenes story from Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, highlighting Tom Holland’s surprising influence at Sony. Discover how Holland’s role as Spider-Man gave him unexpected sway in Hollywood.
During a recent appearance on the On Film … With Kevin McCarthy podcast, Matt Damon opened up about a memorable moment on the set of Christopher Nolan ’s The Odyssey. Joined by Ben Affleck, Damon recounted how his co-star Tom Holland managed to arrange a special screening for the cast, thanks to his unique position at Sony.
Host Kevin McCarthy mentioned attending a 70 mm screening of Lawrence of Arabia, set up by Sony chairperson Tom Rothman. Damon chimed in, revealing that Holland had also organized a similar event for The Odyssey’s cast. Jokingly, Damon remarked that Holland “runs that studio” because of his Spider- Man status, saying,
So Tom Holland, when we were shooting The Odyssey, arranged [the screening]. Cuz Tom Holland runs that studio. He’s Spider-Man. And so he called Tom Rothman and on a Sunday we went down and screened it.
Affleck laughed at the comment, admitting he missed the screening due to work commitments. Damon and McCarthy then discussed their impressions of the film’s epic 70 mm presentation.
Holland’s Impact on Sony’s Spider-Man Franchise
Few realize that Holland’s casting as Spider-Man was far from guaranteed. Marvel directors Anthony and Joe Russo once revealed that Sony hesitated to choose Holland, mainly due to concerns about his age.
We talked with Feige at Marvel about Holland and he got excited and then we went to Sony. And they were like, ‘Let’s think about it for a minute.’
The Russos described a drawn-out process, with Sony reluctant to commit. Eventually, the studio agreed, and Holland’s portrayal quickly won over Marvel fans. However, after his second film, the partnership between Sony and Marvel nearly unraveled.
In 2019, tense negotiations between the two studios threatened the future of the franchise. According to reports, Holland played a crucial role in bridging the gap. He personally reached out to both Sony’s Tom Rothman and Disney ’s Bob Iger, urging them to find common ground.
[Holland] made multiple appeals to Disney chairman and CEO Bob Iger and Sony film chairman Tom Rothman to reach a resolution. […]He leaned on Rothman to re-engage with Disney (the actor was able to leverage his clout because he also is set to star in Sony’s Uncharted) and also surprisingly reached out to Iger, beseeching one of Hollywood ’s most powerful executives to return to the table.
Holland’s efforts paid off, especially after his first two Spider-Man movies grossed $2 billion worldwide. The result was a renewed deal and two more films, with Spider-Man: No Way Home alone earning $1.9 billion at the box office.
Box Office Success and Upcoming Projects
Holland’s Spider-Man trilogy has been a massive hit, both critically and commercially. Spider-Man: Homecoming brought in over $880 million, Far from Home surpassed $1.1 billion, and No Way Home nearly reached $2 billion. The fourth installment, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, is currently in production and set for release on July 31, 2026—just two weeks after The Odyssey hits theaters.
Meanwhile, The Odyssey features Damon as Odysseus and Holland as Telemachus, alongside a star-studded cast including Charlize Theron, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, and Elliot Page. Holland has described working on the film as “the job of a lifetime,” calling it his best experience on a set. He also shared his admiration for Damon and Hathaway, saying,
Matt Damon has always been a hero of mine, Anne Hathaway has always been a hero of mine. So to share scenes with them, to learn from them, to become friends with them, I couldn’t have asked for a better job.
Filming took place in Morocco and Sicily, and expectations are high following Nolan’s recent Oscar- winning success.
The Odyssey is scheduled to premiere in theaters on July 17, 2026.