Revisiting the Dark Medieval Epic That First Paired Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal

With 2026 delivering major box office successes, Spider-Man: Brand New Day and The Odyssey have emerged as the year’s standout performers. Christopher Nolan’s ambitious take on the Greek epic has become the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, while the web-slinger’s newest adventure is poised to become the biggest release of the year. Beyond their critical and commercial achievements, both films feature Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal in pivotal roles, solidifying their status as Hollywood’s current A-list talent. What many moviegoers may not realize is that Holland and Bernthal first collaborated on a brutal historical epic nearly a decade ago.

That film is Pilgrimage. Set in medieval Ireland, Pilgrimage follows a group of monks, including the young Brother Diarmuid (Holland), tasked with transporting a sacred relic to Rome. Their journey becomes treacherous when warriors led by the malevolent Raymond de Merville (Richard Armitage) pursue the artifact. Fortunately, the monks are protected by their own warrior: a mute man (Bernthal) with extraordinary combat abilities. Now that Pilgrimage is available for streaming, fans of Holland and Bernthal can revisit their initial on-screen pairing.

Image via RLJE Films

Pilgrimage draws audiences in through escalating scenes of violence as the monks and the Mute struggle to complete their mission. Much of this brutality stems from the Mute, who compensates for his silence with overwhelming ferocity. Beyond the action, the film delves into the nature of faith and the extraordinary—or terrible—things people commit in its name. Most of the monks believe the relic possesses holiness because it survived a lightning strike intact. Merville, conversely, desires the artifact for the King of England, intending to weaponize that belief to strengthen English forces. Director Brendan Muldowney discussed his attraction to Pilgrimage and its exploration of faith, noting how it resonated with his own background.

“I think that themes dealing with faith and a belief in God are always relevant and never go out of date. I was brought up in a country that still had the church very firmly in control of society. Not so much now, but I saw the use of fear to control, and I also witnessed hypocrisy as certain revaluations came to light in recent years.”

Beyond its graphic violence and thematic depth, Pilgrimage is elevated by Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal, who deliver the film’s most compelling performances. Bernthal must remain silent throughout most of Pilgrimage’s runtime, yet he communicates powerfully through physicality and facial expressions. Whether conveying pure rage or quiet contemplation, audiences viscerally feel the emotions radiating from his performance. Holland offers a more nuanced turn, as Brother Diarmuid ultimately rejects the relic and embraces a transformed spiritual outlook. While Holland demonstrated considerable range in The Odyssey, Pilgrimage was the first film to truly showcase his abilities.

Although Pilgrimage received a limited theatrical release, it marked the beginning of an ongoing collaboration between Tom Holland and Jon Bernthal. In fact, the film played a role in securing their positions within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Bernthal was auditioning for The Punisher while Holland was competing for the role of Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. Bernthal elaborated during an appearance on Jimmy Kimmel Live, revealing he advised Holland to demonstrate his athletic abilities. Holland followed this advice and secured the part of Spider-Man; nearly ten years later, the pair reunited in Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

Similar to Pilgrimage, Spider-Man: Brand New Day places Holland and Bernthal at odds, with Holland portraying a character grappling with his beliefs and Bernthal embodying a figure defined by violence. Notably, Bernthal’s portrayal of Frank Castle now incorporates far more dialogue than his silent performance in Pilgrimage, while Holland brings renewed depth to his portrayal of Peter Parker. Anyone who appreciates the chemistry between these actors in Brand New Day or The Odyssey should experience Pilgrimage.

Pilgrimage is available to stream on Pluto TV.

Release Date: April 23, 2017

Runtime: 96 minutes

Director: Brendan Muldowney

Writers: Jamie Hannigan

Producers: Conor Barry, Aram Tertzakian, Nick Spicer, John Keville

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