Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey pulled in $124.5 million domestically in its opening weekend, and $257.8 million worldwide, making it the third-largest domestic debut of 2026 behind only Toy Story 5 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
It boils down to ignorant normies looking to hop to the next Nolan film and watch it on IMAX because they've been conditioned to think his movies are grand events that needs to be seen in a theater.
They could care less about Homer, and they're too lazy to read the original story. They're just following the next supposed Nolan blockbuster filmed on IMAX that they've already crowned as a 'masterpiece.'
That's the audience that Nolan wants: people who will just consume anything without asking any questions.
It's comforting to know that the online media world has less influence than anyone imagines it does these days.
So Before Times Nolan makes a movie, and Modern-Woke Times Nolan can do or say anything he wants and people won't really care.
And since no-one knows what the Odyssey is except: Old foreign epic stuff with a war in it somewhere, only the people who do, and who care will sit it out.
The Klavans had interesting remarks on this new "Odyssey" in a "Klavans on the Culture" episode. Not all flattering but some good.
Still, I have to wonder if the new Odyssey is like a piece I read (by Dark Herald maybe?) who described it as like the Chevy Volt (which was supposed to save GM): a movie that seems great to those who love movies or Hollywood, but meh objectively (just like the car was lauded by fans but not that great).
I've seen seemingly reasonable arguments on both sides and supposedly sales of the Odyssey books (of various translations probably) are up big-time with some people at least looking at the original.
My personal view though is that a studio has to prove it has good intentions rather than just not being awful; the time of "innocent until proven guilty" is long over for me with Hollywood.
I’m not going to the theater to see the Odyssey. Partly because of the casting and partly because his last three movies weren’t that great to me. Oppenheimer was ok, but Dunkirk and Tenet were stinkers. I saw those three in the theater and have never felt the need to watch them again. You can’t understand what anyone is saying in the theater with his latest movies anyway. Nolan had a good run for me with Batman Begins, The Prestige, Inception, and Interstellar. The Prestige is his best movie. I watch it at least once a year.
Really appreciate the straight reporting of facts in this piece, Jon.
I grew up in the 70's and actually never read either the Illiad or the Odyssey in school, though we did have a children's version of one or both in the house. Did get lots of classics in JHS and HS, though.
As coach Michel Therrien once said, "I am very disappoint in a lots of guy. Dere's a lot of guys doan care. Dey say dey care, heh, but I know dey doan care."
Too many people just want Hollywood slop. They don't care that if we keep giving these buttwipes money, they'll keep doing this crap.
I'm frankly amazed. The only Christopher Nolan I truly enjoyed was DUNKIRK and it turns out that was one of his "smaller" films. I predicted THE ODYSSEY would be a flop. I was wrong.
It boils down to ignorant normies looking to hop to the next Nolan film and watch it on IMAX because they've been conditioned to think his movies are grand events that needs to be seen in a theater.
They could care less about Homer, and they're too lazy to read the original story. They're just following the next supposed Nolan blockbuster filmed on IMAX that they've already crowned as a 'masterpiece.'
That's the audience that Nolan wants: people who will just consume anything without asking any questions.
It's comforting to know that the online media world has less influence than anyone imagines it does these days.
So Before Times Nolan makes a movie, and Modern-Woke Times Nolan can do or say anything he wants and people won't really care.
And since no-one knows what the Odyssey is except: Old foreign epic stuff with a war in it somewhere, only the people who do, and who care will sit it out.
Interesting.
The Klavans had interesting remarks on this new "Odyssey" in a "Klavans on the Culture" episode. Not all flattering but some good.
Still, I have to wonder if the new Odyssey is like a piece I read (by Dark Herald maybe?) who described it as like the Chevy Volt (which was supposed to save GM): a movie that seems great to those who love movies or Hollywood, but meh objectively (just like the car was lauded by fans but not that great).
I've seen seemingly reasonable arguments on both sides and supposedly sales of the Odyssey books (of various translations probably) are up big-time with some people at least looking at the original.
My personal view though is that a studio has to prove it has good intentions rather than just not being awful; the time of "innocent until proven guilty" is long over for me with Hollywood.
"...the time of "innocent until proven guilty" is long over for me with Hollywood."
Yep.
I’m not going to the theater to see the Odyssey. Partly because of the casting and partly because his last three movies weren’t that great to me. Oppenheimer was ok, but Dunkirk and Tenet were stinkers. I saw those three in the theater and have never felt the need to watch them again. You can’t understand what anyone is saying in the theater with his latest movies anyway. Nolan had a good run for me with Batman Begins, The Prestige, Inception, and Interstellar. The Prestige is his best movie. I watch it at least once a year.
None of the vandals will ever remember this movie after their struggle session is over.
Original remains.
Really appreciate the straight reporting of facts in this piece, Jon.
I grew up in the 70's and actually never read either the Illiad or the Odyssey in school, though we did have a children's version of one or both in the house. Did get lots of classics in JHS and HS, though.
As coach Michel Therrien once said, "I am very disappoint in a lots of guy. Dere's a lot of guys doan care. Dey say dey care, heh, but I know dey doan care."
Too many people just want Hollywood slop. They don't care that if we keep giving these buttwipes money, they'll keep doing this crap.
Coach T's final word on the subject, "Pfft!"
I'm frankly amazed. The only Christopher Nolan I truly enjoyed was DUNKIRK and it turns out that was one of his "smaller" films. I predicted THE ODYSSEY would be a flop. I was wrong.