Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic ‘The Odyssey’ has found itself at the centre of heated online debate after the release of its latest trailer. While some viewers have been praising the film’s scale, others have criticised its dialogue, visuals, casting choices and modern interpretation.The film that comes after the director’s epic run at the Oscars with ‘Oppenheimer’, stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya and Charlise Theron in leading roles. The trailer gives fans a look at Odysseus’ 10-year-long journey home following the Trojan War, while also shedding light on the tensions back home between his son Telemachus, wife Penelope and the film’s antagonist, Antinous.However, social media was up in arms over the film’s use of modern dialogues in a mythological setting. One moment in particular – the use of the word “daddy” – sparked outrage online, bringing with it, a wave of backlash over various other aspects of the film.
‘The Odyssey’ compared to ‘Adipurush ‘
Indian fans reacted to the film’s trailer and compared it with the Om Raut film ‘Adipurush’, which also set out to be a big-budget mythological epic that sadly failed to impress at the box office. “Nahh calling it Hollywood’s Adipurush is WILD,” one user wrote.
‘The Odyssey’ meets ‘Ironman ‘
Others commented on the film’s visuals and costumes, calling out the inaccurate depiction of the characters and events described in the texts. “Odyssey meets Robocop and Ironman in a superb mixture of Nolan’s confused mind and Hollywood’s cultural meatgrinder. It’s a shame.. because the Iliad and the Odyssey did not need a ‘revamp’. They were and still are some of the greatest stories Humanity has even produced,” read a post.The depiction of the Laestrygonians, the mythical cannibal giants from Homer’s tale, also drew criticism. “These are supposed to be Laestrygonians according to Nolan. They were giant primitive ogres, believed to be descendants of Laestrygon, a son of Poseidon. Cannibals, ferocious, covered in leather piece of cloths. Why do they wear Medieval armours, almost futuristic??????????” another user questioned.A separate post added, “Why do the Laestrygonians have steel plate armour in the Bronze Age, Nolan? They’re meant to be savage cannibal giants.”Others compared the visuals to modern superhero films rather than a traditional Greek epic. “I think if you told me this was from a Marvel movie I’d believe you,” one user remarked.
Netizens call out film’s casting
Several viewers also questioned the film’s casting choices and accents. “Are any Greeks acting in Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey at all? Or is cultural appropriation only offensive if it goes one way?” read one post.
Elliot Page to play Achilles ?
Rumours surrounding the casting of Elliot Page as the ghost of Achilles, formerly played by Brad Pitt in ‘Troy’, further fuelled online outrage, although no official confirmation has been made. One social media user wrote, “Elliot Page is rumored to play the ghost of Achilles in Christopher Nolan’s ‘THE ODYSSEY’… So falls the house of Nolan…..first flop loading.”Another added, “Homer’s Achilles V Nolan’s Achilles. ‘Priam saw with admiration how big and beautiful Achilles was, the very image of a god’ Iliad. This is not ‘artistic license’, this is disrespect for the source material and the will to destroy our culture.”The film also came under scrutiny over reports that Nolan’s screenplay is based on translator Emily Wilson’s 2017 interpretation of Homer’s work, which modernises portions of the language and reframes certain themes. Critics online accused the adaptation of leaning into “woke” storytelling.One viral post claimed, “Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ might actually be liberal, woke trash…”Another added, “The script is reportedly based on Emily Wilson’s 2017 version of The Odyssey, which modernizes (& dumbs down) the language, puts more focus on female characters & power dynamics, rather than masculinity, & makes Odysseus less heroic and more morally ‘complicated’.”
Fans defend Christopher Nolan
Despite the backlash, some fans defended Nolan’s creative approach, but also asked, “This is what happens when Hollywood decides that a masterpiece needs to be fixed. Does this film have any chance of being good?”Another wrote, “I was excited about this movie but this could turn out to be a self-inflicted, epic disaster.”Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is scheduled to release on July 17, 2026.
