Three months after promising a historically accurate version of Homer’s epic using AI, X boss Elon Musk released the first seven minutes of Grok Imagine’s The Odyssey on Friday. The project arrives as a response to Christopher Nolan’s box office-dominating epic, which crossed $1.78 billion worldwide.
The Odyssey on Grok
- Elon Musk shared the first seven minutes of Grok Imagine’s adaptation on Friday, following an initial promise made in July.
- The project is billed as a creative collaboration with Wonder Studios X and director Dev Walker, positioning itself as a direct response to Christopher Nolan’s theatrical hit.
- Despite earlier claims of historical accuracy, the characters speak English rather than Homeric Greek, and early viewers in online comments have criticized the AI-generated acting as wooden and soulless.
Musk Criticizes Nolan’s Casting Choices
The AI project stems from online disputes earlier this year when Christopher Nolan’s live-action version of The Odyssey arrived in theaters in June. Upon its release, Musk accused the director of being an anti-White racist over his casting of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, claiming on X that the filmmaker merely wanted awards. Similar right-leaning online complaints targeted Elliot Page’s role as Sinon.
Following those social media disputes, Musk declared that Grok Imagine would build a full-length movie that is historically accurate and true to the art of Homer before the end of the year. While Nolan’s studio production barreled past $600 million at the U.S. box office, Musk made no further mentions of his own competitive venture until Friday’s drop.
Visuals Borrow From Nolan While Viewers Critique Acting
The first chapter, developed alongside Wonder Studios X and director Dev Walker, falls short of the absolute historical framing initially promised by X’s leadership. Beyond the dialogue remaining in English instead of ancient Greek, the technical execution has drawn mixed reviews from early digital audiences.
Visually, the AI-generated project borrows heavily from the aesthetic language established by Nolan’s blockbuster, though critics on social media argue the results lack the same scale and impact. Viewers across comment sections have frequently labeled the digital performances as soulless and wooden.
Millions View the First Installment Online
As of press time, the first seven-minute installment of Grok Imagine’s The Odyssey has pulled in 4 million views on X. Meanwhile, Christopher Nolan’s competing theatrical epic continues its global run, maintaining a worldwide gross exceeding $1.78 billion.
| Project | Director / Creator | Release Timing | Performance / Reach |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Odyssey (Theatrical) | Christopher Nolan | June | $1.78 billion worldwide ($600M+ U.S. box office) |
| The Odyssey (Grok Imagine) | Dev Walker / Wonder Studios X / Elon Musk | Friday | 4 million views (first 7 minutes on X) |
