Elon Musk’s Criticism of ‘The Odyssey’ May Be His Worst Decision Yet

Christopher Nolan has consistently transformed skeptics into believers, and his latest historical epic is no exception. ‘The Odyssey’ premiered in theaters on July 17, bringing with it a wave of online controversy that often lingers long after a film’s opening weekend.

This controversy was largely fueled by one outspoken critic. Elon Musk spent months publicly denouncing Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem, specifically targeting the casting choices of Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page, while accusing the director of compromising his artistic integrity.

Now, just weeks post-release, ‘The Odyssey’ has emerged as one of the year’s biggest box office triumphs, poised to surpass the entire worldwide total of Matt Damon’s ‘Interstellar’ within days. The film has already amassed $639.6 million globally after just two weekends, putting it within reach of ‘Interstellar’s’ $722 million lifetime total, including reissues.

The figures tell a contrasting story to Musk’s predictions of failure. ‘The Odyssey’ debuted with $263.7 million worldwide, marking the largest global opening of Nolan’s career, and followed up with an $87 million domestic second weekend, breaking his previous record set by ‘The Dark Knight’.

Much of this success can be attributed to IMAX, where ‘The Odyssey’ has already set the record for the highest-grossing sophomore weekend in the format’s history. IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond credited Nolan’s filmmaking for this draw, describing it as a masterwork that not only attracts devoted fans for repeat viewings but also introduces new audiences to the format.

Musk’s criticism extended beyond box office projections. He claimed that Nolan had distorted Homer’s original text and accused the director of diversifying the cast solely for Oscar consideration, a claim that misrepresented the Academy’s eligibility criteria. He has since announced plans to create his own AI-generated version of the story using his company’s Grok technology, which he asserts will aim for historical accuracy and is expected to debut in 2026.

This initiative has sparked its own wave of criticism from industry figures. Director Scott Derrickson publicly dismissed Musk’s grasp of cinema, arguing that the billionaire’s views on the art form hold little significance given his history of commentary.

Critical reception for ‘The Odyssey’ has further complicated the narrative Musk has attempted to construct around the film. The movie boasts a certified fresh score of 98 percent from critics, surpassing Nolan’s own Best Picture-winning ‘Oppenheimer’, with reviewers largely dismissing the casting controversy as irrelevant to the final product.

Nolan has largely refrained from directly addressing Musk’s critiques, opting instead to discuss the broader wave of pre-release backlash in general terms. He has pointed out that discussions occurring before audiences actually view a film are ultimately irrelevant, referencing similar backlash he faced years ago regarding casting choices in his ‘Batman’ trilogy.

With ‘The Odyssey’ now on track to potentially become Damon’s highest-grossing film ever and one of Nolan’s most successful projects to date, the disparity between Musk’s public predictions and the film’s actual performance has become one of the most talked-about subplots of this summer’s box office season.

‘The Odyssey’ is currently showing in theaters worldwide.

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