Pirated Leak of Nolan's The Odyssey on X: Millions of Views Before Removal
An unauthorised version of Christopher Nolan's *The Odyssey* was shared on X, with a post about its availability viewed over 3 million times before removal. Universal Pictures has initiated takedown procedures. The film has grossed approximately $640 million worldwide despite the leak.
Leak of Pirated Version of The Odyssey on X
An unauthorised copy of the film The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, was shared on the platform X on 25 July 2026. A post announcing its availability was viewed over 3 million times before the account hosting the video was removed. The post had reached over 2.1 million views in two and a half hours.
The account hosting the video was suspended. Cloned copies were still circulating the following day, often replaced by misleading files, such as redirects to Rick Astley's Never Gonna Give You Up.
Universal Pictures' Response
Universal Pictures confirmed it had initiated takedown procedures upon detecting the leak. In a statement, the studio said it takes copyright violations "very seriously" and announced measures to protect its intellectual property rights.
Limited Impact on Box Office Revenue
The film, released in early July, has grossed approximately $640 million worldwide as of 26 July. In the United States, it earned $87 million during its second weekend, marking a 30% drop from its opening. In Europe, The Odyssey attracted over 157,000 viewers in one week in Portugal, with box office revenue exceeding €1.3 million.
Elon Musk's Criticism of the Casting
According to cited sources, Elon Musk, owner of X, criticised the film's casting choices. He reportedly questioned the inclusion of actress Lupita Nyong'o in the role of Helen of Troy. The billionaire announced plans to produce a "historically accurate" adaptation of Homer's *Odyssey* using his artificial intelligence tool Grok Imagine.
Christopher Nolan responded to the criticism by stating that such debates, occurring before the film's release, were "always irrelevant". He added that no one could judge the result without having seen it.
Key Points
- A post announcing a pirated copy of The Odyssey was viewed over 3 million times on X before removal on 25 July 2026
- Universal Pictures has initiated takedown procedures and strengthened copyright protection
- The film has grossed approximately $640 million worldwide, with a 30% drop in the US during its second weekend
- Elon Musk criticised the film's casting and announced a "historically accurate" adaptation via Grok Imagine
- Christopher Nolan responded that debates over casting were "irrelevant" before the release
Sources
- The Guardian Culture - "Unauthorised version of Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey shared on X". (secondary)
- Variety - "‘The Odyssey’ Leaked on X: High-Quality Bootleg Seen by Millions in Hours Before Takedown". (secondary)
- Observador PT - "Filme 'A Odisseia' pirateado e publicado na rede social X". (secondary)
Transparency: 3 sources (0 primary, 3 secondary). Verification: 27 July 2026.
Truthyx - 27 July 2026