It’s the must-see movie event of the summer—maybe even of the year. While Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has continued to break box office records, a controversy has been raging online, with Elon Musk vowing to create his own “historically accurate” AI-generated version after attacking Nolan’s casting choices. Is this the beginning of real change in Hollywood, or just another internet uproar?
Nolan’s Odyssey Breaks Records Despite Backlash
Since its release on July 15, 2026, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient epic, The Odyssey, has dominated the worldwide box office. In France alone, the film drew a record 1.39 million moviegoers in just five days. Globally, it grossed over $264 million in its opening weekend—an impressive feat for any summer blockbuster.
While most audiences have reportedly left theaters delighted, one high-profile figure remains unimpressed: Elon Musk. The billionaire had spent months before the release predicting that the movie would flop, claiming its cast was “too diverse” in the eyes of conservative commentators.
Casting Triggers Heated Debate
The casting fueled heated debates, particularly the selection of Lupita Nyong’o, a Black actress, as Helen of Troy. The inclusion of Elliot Page, a transgender actor, as a Greek warrior and Asian actors among Odysseus’ crew also drew criticism from some. Over recent months, Nolan’s decisions have attracted a wave of racist and transphobic posts, especially on X (formerly Twitter), where users have been emboldened by Musk’s increasingly hardline positions as the platform's owner.
Musk’s criticism has been sharp. He accused Nolan of being “an anti-white racist” and claimed the director had distorted “reality” to meet what he said were diversity quotas from the Oscars Academy.
Musk Responds: Plans for an ‘Historically Accurate’ Odyssey
Despite predictions of box office failure, Nolan’s Odyssey has been embraced by critics and audiences. Musk, however, announced he was ready to fund his own “historically accurate” and “faithful” version of The Odyssey, to be generated by his AI tool, Grok Imagine. On July 22, 2026, responding to a user suggestion that he give $100 million to Mel Gibson to create a version with “meticulous historical accuracy” and original Greek dialogue, Musk replied, “I’m in.”
Musk later promised in response to an AI-generated three-minute clip—featuring only white characters—that “Before this year ends, Grok Imagine will make a full-length movie of The Odyssey that is historically accurate and true to the art of Homer.” He reiterated that Grok Imagine would deliver a “historically faithful” film adaptation respecting Homer’s style before year’s end.
Commercial Triumph Continues Despite Storm
The online backlash has not slowed the film’s massive commercial success. As a reminder, The Odyssey is based on a nearly 3,000-year-old work of fiction, where the hero encounters cyclopes, sirens, nymphs, and six-headed sea monsters. Despite continued debates and social media storms, Nolan’s The Odyssey is still filling theaters and may soon surpass $1 billion at the box office.
For many, the conservative rallying cry “Go woke, go broke” couldn’t feel further from the truth.
One user joked online, “The ‘historically accurate’ version of a fairy tale! How can this guy be the richest in the world! Maybe he's like his buddy Trump with the same shortcomings—but at least Trump has the military at his disposal!”
