Back in 2010, audiences worldwide witnessed Jon Bernthal's breakout role as Shane Walsh in the first season of The Walking Dead. Although Shane would go on to leave a big mark on AMC's iconic show, his time was short-lived. Only a little over a year after his debut, we watched as the ruthless survivor met his end when Rick Grimes stabbed him in the chest... and then once again when he came back as a walker, only for Carl Grimes to shoot him.
As simple as that, Shane's search for power and hopes of becoming the group's leader were dashed, but the actor behind him eventually got to lead an entire city in a different project.
Bernthal is about to take over the big screen in Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey as the Greek king of Sparta, Menelaus—one of the key figures behind the Spartans' victory in the Trojan War.
In Homer's Odyssey, Menelaus becomes a mentor to Telemachus, a character portrayed by Tom Holland, who is desperate to find his father, Odysseus. Now, we have our best look at the iconic duo in action courtesy of a new set from the set of The Odyssey.
New look at Jon Bernthal and Tom Holland in Christopher Nolan's ‘THE ODYSSEY’. pic.twitter.com/lPlmcs6ZSa
— DiscussingFilm (@DiscussingFilm) July 9, 2026
After the Trojan War ended, Odysseus embarked on an epic and perilous journey to return home to his wife, Penelope, and his son, Telemachus. But what was supposed to be a simple trip turned into a 10-year adventure filled with attacks from monsters and interventions from the gods.
In the meantime, 108 suitors sailed to Odysseus' island home, Ithaca, and swarmed his palace. Since Odysseus was presumed dead, they all competed against each other for Penelope's hand. Eventually, Telemachus takes matters into his own hands and goes to find his father on his own. It is during this quest that he crosses paths with Menelaus.
Thanks to the history between Menelaus and Telemachus in The Odyssey, we're about to see Bernthal share the screen with Tom Holland.
Furthermore, the two iconic actors will also appear in Spider-Man: Brand New Day as the Punisher and Spider-Man, respectively. So after we see this power duo survive the many dangers of a mythological fantasy world, we'll see them go toe-to-toe with the Hulk.
Outside of the big screen, Jon Bernthal and Tom Holland share a close friendship. During an interview on The Kelly Clarkson Show, Bernthal revealed that they even helped each other with their audition tapes to join the Marvel Cinematic Universe:
"Tom's the greatest to ever do it. I love him. I've known him since he was 17. At that age, I never saw someone with that kind of drive, that kind of confidence, that kind of belief, while also being just deeply kind and good. He comes from a wonderful family. I love seeing what's become of him. He's a real movie star (...) I made his Spider-Man audition tape. He made my Punisher audition tape when we were in Ireland doing a movie. We got to do back-to-back movies with The Odyssey and Spider-Man [Brand New Day], so it was a real gift for me."
To top things off, Tom Holland stated that one of his favorite things about Spider-Man: Brand New Day is Peter's relationship with Frank Castle, and how he was able to build the dynamic between the two characters alongside Jon Bernthal:
"I think one of my favorite aspects of this new film is the relationship between The Punisher and Spider-Man. It’s no secret that I absolutely love Jon Bernthal, and sharing the screen with him and building this new onscreen relationship was so fun. What is in the film is very different to what was on the page, and I’m so grateful to Destin for giving us the freedom to play with it and create something really special. I wouldn’t be surprised if Spidey and the Punisher become a recurring duo."
July is going to be a massive month for Jon Bernthal, Tom Holland, and movie fans altogether. Fortunately, it won't be long before The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day finally come our way, and we can watch them for ourselves.
The Odyssey will be released on July 17, 2026, and Spider-Man: Brand New Day will hit theaters on July 31.
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