The Hollands and Jon Bernthal Dominate the Global Box Office

As the domestic box office is reorganized into a two-way race between "Odyssey" and "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," attention is being drawn to three actors who run through both films: Tom Holland, Zendaya, and Jon Bernthal.

All three actors star in both movies. In "Odyssey," Tom Holland plays Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, while Zendaya portrays Athena, the goddess of wisdom. Jon Bernthal plays Menelaus, the king of Sparta.

In "Odyssey," Telemachus forms the central axis of the story alongside Odysseus and Penelope. When the kingdom of Ithaca falls into crisis due to the absence of his father away at war, he sets out to find a father he has never seen. Athena, played by Zendaya, also plays a symbolic role in the film, hovering near Odysseus—who repeatedly falls into crisis unable to return home—and offering him advice. Jon Bernthal takes on the role of Menelaus, the husband of Helen whose abduction triggered the Trojan War, leading the allied Greek forces into battle.

However, Tom Holland and Zendaya do not share any scenes together in "Odyssey," as their character arcs and the story's progression mean they never appear on screen at the same time.

The three actors can also be seen together in the previously released "Spider-Man: Brand New Day." Tom Holland plays Spider-Man, and Zendaya plays MJ. Having led the franchise through three "Home" series films, the two actors opened a new chapter with "Brand New Day." Jon Bernthal makes his first appearance in this film as the Punisher, a former U.S. Marine Corps reconnaissance instructor. He plays a dramatic role in the latter half of the movie, raising anticipation for his continued presence in future installments.

As is well known, Tom Holland and Zendaya are one of Hollywood's representative star couples. Rumors of their marriage surfaced last March, and weight was added to those rumors recently when Tom Holland effectively confirmed the marriage in an interview with Esquire.

The Holland couple is making 2026 their year. "Odyssey" has surpassed 1 billion dollars in worldwide box office revenue, while "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has crossed 1.1 billion dollars. By performing separately and together in the two most successful films of the year, they have proven themselves to be among the most influential actors in Hollywood today.
At a time when Marvel hero movies have disappointed fans in recent years regarding both box office performance and critical reception, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" is acting like a shot of adrenaline. Buoyed by the success of this project, production on the fifth story of Tom Holland's Spider-Man is also expected to get underway.

Having spent busier years than any other actors, the two have announced a temporary hiatus. All that remains for them is to smile contentedly as they watch the soaring box office records of the two films continuing to surge worldwide.



(SBS Star News, Reporter Kim Ji-hye)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.