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‘An absolute triumph’: first reactions to Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey are ecstatic
The Guardian ^ | July 7, 2026 | Catherine Shoard

Posted on 07/07/2026 2:38:56 PM PDT by MinorityRepublican

The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s three-hour version of Homer’s epic poem, world premiered in London on Monday night, and critics who saw the film there and at early screenings in the US have been sharing their takes on one of the year’s most hotly anticipated films.

“Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is a colossal origin-myth story of postwar disillusion and a loss of innocence witnessed by the dead,” wrote the Guardian’s Peter Bradshaw, ahead of the reviews embargo lifting next Wednesday and next Friday’s worldwide release.

IndieWire editor-at-large Anne Thompson called the film the best picture contender to beat, and added that Matt Damon “could win best actor”. “My high expectations were met,” she added, calling the film “stunningly mounted”.

Multiple pundits described the film as “flawless” and “breathtaking”, with others singling out Robert Pattinson’s villainous Antinous for particular praise.

Erik Davis called the film “an absolute triumph and a crowning cinematic achievement from one of the great film-makers of our time. It feels like everything Nolan has been working toward with Imax has culminated here.” The film was shot entirely using large-format Imax film cameras, although it will also be screened in non-Imax cinemas.

“The production design is incredible,” continued Davis, “the action is breathtaking, and the scale is unlike anything he’s done before. What really surprised me is how much he embraces horror. Some of the film’s biggest moments are genuinely unsettling, adding a whole new dimension to his film-making while never losing sight of the humanity at the story’s core.”

(Excerpt) Read more at theguardian.com ...


TOPICS: Humor; TV/Movies
KEYWORDS: communistsource; frukspam; guardian; multiplefrnicks; racism; ukspamonfr
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To: MinorityRepublican

Academy Awards, top to bottom.

Especially the tranny for Best Actress/Actor/Whatever.


121 posted on 07/07/2026 8:05:10 PM PDT by simpson96
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To: SmokingJoe; Fury

Well, to be fair, until recently there was a lot of whitewashing ie white actors playing non white historical figures.

Like John Wayne playing Genghis Khan.

Or The Human Stain (2003) where Anthony Hopkins played Coleman Silk.

Though I remember more egregious cases of whitewashing brown people, like “the Gods of Egyot” or the 10 commandments


122 posted on 07/07/2026 10:38:28 PM PDT by Cronos (Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.)
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To: Merrick

I think in the original book, Achilles does well before the journey of Odysseus


123 posted on 07/07/2026 10:52:20 PM PDT by Cronos (Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.)
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To: Cronos
Khan was a Mongol, not even close to being black.
Coleman Silk was a light skinned black guy who himself passed himself off as Jewish/white, long before the movie was made.
Nevertheless, the usual racist African American brigade sharply criticized the movie for racist “miscasting”.
Same brigade who are now praising a pitch black woman as Helen.
Is it ridiculous?
Yup.
124 posted on 07/08/2026 1:02:04 AM PDT by SmokingJoe
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To: SmokingJoe

Yes, it is ridiculous.

Lupita would be good in other roles in other films, but this one just doesn’t gel right


125 posted on 07/08/2026 2:09:23 AM PDT by Cronos (Strange women lying in ponds distributing swords is no basis for a system of government.)
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To: GMThrust

Well they cant just say an insufferable woke reboot, featuring world class liberal trash bags, of a classic story thats been done a million times.


126 posted on 07/08/2026 3:26:08 AM PDT by MrRelevant
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To: niteowl

Universal Pictures is completely bypassing early social media influencer screenings for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. Instead, the studio opted to host exclusive professional critic and press screenings following the film’s global premiere in London on July 6, allowing reviews to set the early narrative ahead of the global release.


127 posted on 07/08/2026 3:27:48 AM PDT by MrRelevant
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To: MinorityRepublican

Would be interesting to see the same critics review of Young Washington (I already know the answer...)


128 posted on 07/08/2026 4:14:08 AM PDT by USAF1985 (Joe McCarthy is a hero...he was absolutely, 100% correct!)
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To: SmokingJoe

The one on the left is a face that launched a thousand ships. The one on the right...?


129 posted on 07/08/2026 4:16:08 AM PDT by USAF1985 (Joe McCarthy is a hero...he was absolutely, 100% correct!)
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To: Cronos

“White-armed” also eludes to her status. No outside (or other labor), so her arms did not get tanned from exposure to the sun.


130 posted on 07/08/2026 4:55:34 AM PDT by Fury
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To: Midwesterner53

Debbie Reynolds.


131 posted on 07/08/2026 7:00:47 AM PDT by PghBaldy (12/14/12- 930am -rampage begins... 12/15/12 - 1030am - Obama team scouts photo-op locations.)
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To: Reily

They’ll lie about the box office for this mess too, no doubt.


132 posted on 07/08/2026 7:14:04 AM PDT by cld51860 ("This business will get out of control...")
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To: stanne
"This is actually being very highly anticipated"

The WAS highly anticipated.

I was excited to see it and ALMOST pre-bought tickets.

Then the casting leaks started.

And the injection of rap music.

And it being based on a feminist translation.

I now have zero interest.

The noise has spread beyond the right wing online sphere. Even normies are asking WTF!

It isn't going to "bomb", although the $800 million needed to break even is going to be a stretch. It is going to underperform.

133 posted on 07/08/2026 9:57:12 AM PDT by Crusher138 ("Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just")
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To: MinorityRepublican

So said WHO??? The creators of superGirl perhaps?


134 posted on 07/08/2026 10:17:00 AM PDT by Harpotoo (ight!)
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To: Crusher138

“ the $800 million needed to break even…”

Where do you come up with that sum?


135 posted on 07/08/2026 11:05:04 AM PDT by stanne
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To: stanne

They have a stated budget of $250 million. That is not how much it ACTUALLY costs, that is how much they THOUGHT it would cost before production took place. Consider $250 million to be the LEAST they spent.

Then there is marketing. For comparison, The Dark Knight Rises had a $100 million marketing budget in 2012. That would be about $150 million adjusted for inflation. $250 plus $150 equals $400 million.

The rule of thumb has break even being double the cost of production plus marketing. That would put break even in the ballpark of $800 million.

Since this was filmed in the UK for the tax credits, we will eventually get the actual production costs. I will bet you $100 right here and now that when that cost is revealed, it will be in excess of $250 million.


136 posted on 07/08/2026 12:04:43 PM PDT by Crusher138 ("Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just")
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To: Crusher138

Bs


137 posted on 07/08/2026 12:26:41 PM PDT by stanne
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To: stanne

Okay, what part is BS?

They stated the budget.

https://screenrant.com/christopher-nolan-the-odyssey-movie-budget-confirmed-2026/

I was wrong on the projected marketing budget. See the link below for the costs involved in making The Dark Knight Rises. It states the marketing costs were $175 million. Marketing for The Odyssey is going to be higher.

https://saturation.io/budgets/the-dark-knight-rises-2012

Studios keep about 60% of the domestic box office and 20% to 50% of the overseas box office, depending on the country (you are lucky to get 20% of the Chinese box office). It balances out to about 50% of the box office goes back to the studio.

https://www.investopedia.com/articles/investing/093015/how-exactly-do-movies-make-money.asp

My low end estimate of $400 million for production and marketing means they will have to make around $800 million to break even.


138 posted on 07/08/2026 12:42:49 PM PDT by Crusher138 ("Then conquer we must, for our cause it is just")
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To: Crusher138

The problem people who want this to fail are going to have is big picture

He has many successful movies. In this town, inception, interstellar and the dark knight series play regularly in multiple theaters. They are well attended Multiply that by many cities. All of those people are going to this movie

He made Oppenheimer which took in $900 mil +.
All of those people are going to this movie

It won multiple Oscars. That will increase that attendance number going in to this movie

Nolan has a small production company run by his wife who started producing his movies first day they met first day in college They minimize expenses even for the crew and actors. There is no fooling around on the set. The actors want to work for him. Their spouses want them to work for him

The score will be by the same Ludwig Göransson who won the Oscar for Oppenheimer. He was recommended to Nolan by Hans Zimmerman the score will be very great and it will bring people in

Nolan’s successes have put him and his production company in a place where his guaranteed audience will likely suffice

There are no other movies out there none. None are expected to come out. Sense and sensibility comes out in Sept. Spider-Man late this summer - Tom Holland is Telemachus as well as Spider-Man. He has told the Spider-Man team that they must play to the audience like Nolan does.

No competition for anyone who wants to go to the movies

And the so called controversies attract audience.

Nolan studied literature. Story. He will know how to tell this story. He knows it backwards and forward. He is focusing on Penelope. She is a great character

He is using iMax physical film. The cinematography will be the highest quality

That’s before stating the argument that it will be a good movie and word of mouth will increase its popularity


139 posted on 07/08/2026 1:11:01 PM PDT by stanne
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To: stanne

And against all of that, there is this truth: A huge percentage of people have had it up to the eyeballs with race-swapping.

Will it make money? Probably. Should break gross of $600 million OK. Will the press then call it a great success? Probably. Will it make as much as it would have if he kept his integrity?

Nope.

“For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?” - from someone more important than Nolan.


140 posted on 07/08/2026 1:18:41 PM PDT by Mr Rogers
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