Tom Holland arranged 70mm screening of 'Lawrence of Arabia' for 'The Odyssey' cast

Matt Damon says Tom Holland secured a 70mm 'Lawrence of Arabia' screening for 'The Odyssey' cast during filming

Matt Damon has revealed that Tom Holland personally contacted Sony chief Tom Rothman to arrange a 70mm screening of Lawrence of Arabia for the cast of Christopher Nolan’s forthcoming adaptation of The Odyssey.

Damon shared the detail in the latest issue of Empire magazine, explaining that the viewing took place during production and reflected the commitment of the ensemble involved.

“We were at Sony, and Tom Rothman has one of the pristine 70-mil prints of that movie,” he said. “And Tom Holland, because he’s Spider-Man and he’s everybody’s favourite at that studio, called Rothman and he arranged for us to screen it on a Sunday, the full four hours.”

Damon plays Odysseus in Nolan’s film, with Holland portraying his son Telemachus. The project brings together an extensive cast including Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita N’yongo, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page and Mia Goth.

Holland, known for roles in Spider-Man, Uncharted, Last Call, Cherry and Onward, joins Damon in leading the ensemble.

Zendaya, who starred alongside Holland in the Spider-Man series and is engaged to him, appears in an undisclosed role, though the teaser trailer has prompted speculation about her playing Athena. Pattinson adds another collaboration with Nolan following Tenet, while Nyong’o is believed to be portraying Helen of Troy based on footage in the initial teaser.

Nolan told Empire that adapting Homer’s epic poem offered a rare opportunity to explore material he considers central to storytelling traditions. 

The film is set to release on July 17, 2026.