‘The Odyssey’ Was Never Going to Bomb, Despite Grifter Angst
Conservative commentators on Twitter criticized Christopher Nolan’s film The Odyssey for its casting choices, predicting it would fail at the box office. The article argues that such predictions ignored broader market factors and previous films’ performance issues. In its first week, The Odyssey grossed nearly $200 million domestically, indicating it is on track to become a major financial success.
- ▪Twitter users, including Elon Musk’s supporters, condemned the casting of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy and Elliot Page as a Greek soldier, claiming the film would bomb.
- ▪The author contends that earlier controversies surrounding movies like Lightyear, Snow White, and Supergirl did not cause box‑office failures, but rather the films themselves lacked audience appeal.
- ▪The Odyssey earned about $200 million in its first six days, roughly 60% ahead of Nolan’s earlier film Oppenheimer at the same point in its run.
- ▪Universal’s investment of approximately $375 million in production and advertising suggests the film only needs to reach about $750 million worldwide to become profitable, a target it appears poised to meet.
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| Publication time | Fri, 24 Jul 2026 19:01:52 GMT |
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Bulwark Goes to Hollywood‘The Odyssey’ Was Never Going to Bomb, Despite Grifter AngstPlus: ‘Motor City’ madness!Sonny Bunch24 JulyUpgrade to listen9 minutes17147Tom Holland, Christopher Nolan, and Matt Damon at the premiere of The Odyssey in Mumbai, India on July 11, 2026. (Photo by Prodip Guha/Getty Images)A COUPLE OF MONTHS BACK, I highlighted the strange reaction to Christopher Nolan’s then-upcoming film, The Odyssey, in certain portions of the conservative media ecosystem. Particularly among the grifter set on Twitter, where Elon Musk had whipped people into a fury over the casting of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy (because Helen of Troy couldn’t possibly be black and to suggest otherwise is a betrayal of Western civilization) and Elliot Page as a Greek soldier (because a trans actor…
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