Director Christopher Nolan has spoken out about the backlash he is receiving for the upcoming film adaptation of The Odyssey, and critics are not happy.
“The territory is the same,” he told the Telegraph. The newspaper described him as “smiling serenely” before “lifting his cup and saucer and taking a theatrical sip.”
Nolan added, “But look, the conversations that happen before you see a movie are always irrelevant because the person having the conversation doesn’t know what the movie actually is yet.”
Many people don’t seem to think the problems with this movie are “irrelevant” or that people should watch the movie before criticizing it.
One of the most common problems with upcoming films is casting choices. Lupita Nyong’o plays Helen of Troy, and Elliot Page, known for her short stature, plays the Greek soldier Sinon, although critics have argued that her dark complexion contradicts the character’s portrayal in Homer’s original epic.
The trailer also received negative reactions, with viewers criticizing the use of modern language in an ancient Greek setting and the lack of Greek actors.
Nolan told the Telegraph that his previous reception of The Odyssey was similar to the concerns he faced while working on the Batman trilogy, explaining that when he started working on Batman Begins, the character had been created and portrayed by different artists over the decades, “and there were a lot of complex ideas out there about what he represented.”
“And what I learned from watching that trilogy is that you don’t have to worry about that at all. All you have to do is honor the original text by interpreting it in the most powerful way that you personally can.”
“Ultimately, the fans of this film enjoyed our sincere attempt to put the best possible version on screen, even if we were doing things they wouldn’t do,” the director said, adding that he hopes audiences will come to a similar conclusion with “The Odyssey.”
“All I can do is make the best movie I can, in the most honest way I can. It’s completely different from how other people do it, but that’s what filmmaking is all about,” Nolan said.
Although the Oscar-winning director believes that the current criticism of the film is not worth considering, his new interview is attracting a lot of attention on its own.
One person wrote to X, “You don’t need to see the movie. I know you’ve succumbed to the forces that say you have to hire based on skin color or protected class to win an award. Hire based on merit, not DEI bulls—.”
“It’s insane that anyone would think that unless they experience a disaster, they can know if it’s a disaster or if it’s about to happen,” said another official.
Another X user joked, “Since conservatives don’t care, I guess Nolan is hoping everyone on the left will watch this movie 3 times and pay to break even.”
“We know it’s historically inaccurate, mistranslated, and has a different motive than the original script. Why?” one person asked. “BC, you’ve already confessed that much. So, no, it’s not irrelevant. An honest reaction to someone dismantling the classics.”
Some people say Nolan’s interview has a point, with one user writing: “I don’t agree with some of the casting decisions, but this is a 3 hour piece of art and no one has seen it yet. Watch the movie and then give your opinion.”
Another referenced Nolan’s The Dark Knight and claimed, “People forgot how furious fans were when they cast Heath Ledger as the Joker. The internet literally rioted because a romantic actor was going to ruin the series. Nolan trusts his vision over noise because he’s proven that wrong before. Anyone remember the 2006 forum?”
The film also stars Zendaya as Athena, Matt Damon as Odysseus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Charlize Theron as Calypso, and many other big stars, and is scheduled to be released in theaters on Friday, July 17th.
