The Odyssey trailer sparks two questions: Why is Tom Holland saying ‘dad’ in 800 BC — and where’s Zendaya?

The first trailer for The Odyssey premiered, giving audiences a sweeping glimpse of Christopher Nolan’s latest blockbuster, complete with stormy seas, sword fights, a terrifying Cyclops, and a stressed-looking Matt Damon as Odysseus. The Odyssey is an adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, following Odysseus and his perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan War. After previously collaborating with director Christopher Nolan on Interstellar and Oppenheimer, Matt Damon reunites with Nolan once again — this time stepping into the role of the legendary Greek hero himself.

While much of the trailer centres on Antinous and his political manoeuvring, it opens on an emotional note. Calypso, played by Charlize Theron, asks Odysseus what he remembers most, prompting flashes of his wife Penelope and his son Telemachus, played by Tom Holland. There are also glimpses of the Trojan War’s aftermath, including a victorious King Menelaus, portrayed by Jon Bernthal, roaring as the battle finally ends.

Notably absent from the trailer are Zendaya, who plays Athena, and Lupita Nyong'o, whose character is still being kept secret.

Ahead of the trailer launch on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, director Christopher Nolan explained why The Odyssey felt like the right follow-up to Oppenheimer. He spoke about the poem’s enormous influence on Western storytelling and noted that, surprisingly, it has never really received the full-scale blockbuster treatment from a major studio.

Nolan also praised the film’s ensemble cast, including frequent collaborators Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway. He had especially warm words for Holland, revealing that working with the actor for the first time exceeded expectations, and hinting that he would happily team up with the Spider-Man star again in the future.

Still, while fans had plenty to say about the trailer overall, much of the internet became fixated on one surprisingly modern detail: the word “Dad.”

Social media users joked that Christopher Nolan had somehow transported a suburban family dynamic into Homer’s ancient world. The reactions were sparked by lines such as, “You’re pining for a daddy that you didn’t even know,” followed later by Tom Holland declaring earnestly, “My dad is coming home.”

For some viewers, hearing such distinctly modern phrasing in an epic set in ancient Greece was more shocking than the Cyclops itself.

Others defended the choice, arguing that if audiences can accept giant CGI monsters and dramatic slow-motion shipwrecks, they can survive one mildly modern word.

The film’s cast includes Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Jon Bernthal, and Mia Goth.

And as Nolan apparently enjoys cinematic warfare almost as much as Greek mythology, the film is set to release on July 17, the same day as Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

So yes, this summer’s biggest showdown may not be Odysseus versus the Cyclops. It could very well be Nolan versus Spider-Man — with audiences caught somewhere between mythology, multiverses, and arguments over whether “Dad” existed in 800 BC.