Leak on X Goes Viral
A high-quality version of Christopher Nolan's epic mythological film 'The Odyssey' was leaked on social media platform X on Saturday, amassing over 2.1 million views within just two and a half hours before the account was subsequently suspended. The leak, which contained the entire three-hour runtime, circulated despite Nolan's public plea for audiences to watch the film on the largest screens possible to appreciate its 70mm IMAX format.[S1][S2][S6]
Based on Homer's ancient Greek epic, 'The Odyssey' follows King Odysseus (Matt Damon) on his arduous decade-long journey home after the Trojan War to reunite with his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland). The star-studded cast also includes Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Elliot Page, and many others. Nolan and his wife Emma Thomas produced the film through Syncopy.[S3]
A second, lower-quality copy of the film appeared on X on Sunday, attracting nearly 50,000 views before being taken down two hours later, according to The Hollywood Reporter. In response, some X users posted fake copies that instead led to a Rickroll—the Rick Astley 'Never Gonna Give You Up' music video—helping to flood the platform and confuse those seeking pirated versions.[S2][S4][S5]
Universal and Nolan Respond
Universal Pictures, the studio distributing the film, released a statement addressing the leak: 'We became aware of the unauthorized posting of the film and immediately initiated takedown protocols. We take copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all appropriate remedies to protect our content and intellectual property rights.' The studio emphasized its commitment to protecting its intellectual property and promptly removed the unauthorized postings.[S1][S2][S3][S4][S5][S6]
Christopher Nolan shot the entire three-hour movie on 70mm film, a large-format, high-resolution medium designed for IMAX screens. The director had taken pains to encourage fans to watch the film in IMAX for the optimal experience, making the leak particularly regrettable. He has repeatedly stated that the film is best seen on the biggest screen possible.[S1][S2][S5]
X owner Elon Musk, who owns the platform where the leak occurred, has been vocal about his opinions on 'The Odyssey.' He insulted the film's casting choices and claimed that his AI tool, Grok Imagine, would produce a 'historically accurate' version to be released later this year.[S6]
Box Office Resilience
Despite the widespread online leak, 'The Odyssey' maintained its strong box office momentum. In its second weekend, the film earned $215 million globally, bringing its worldwide total to $640 million against a reported budget of $250 million. The leak is considered unlikely to have significantly harmed the film's performance, as it continued to dominate charts.[S1][S3]
Domestically, the film grossed $87 million in its second weekend, marking Nolan's best ever second frame at the domestic box office. IMAX, premium large formats, and 70mm screenings accounted for 57% of that total, up from 53% in its opening weekend, indicating that audiences continue to seek the premium theatrical experience.[S5]
