Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Leaked on X, Viewed Millions of Times Before Removal

Jul 26, 2026

A high-quality bootleg of Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey leaked on X on July 25, 2026, drawing over 2.1 million views in hours before Universal Pictures initiated takedowns. Despite the leak, the film's box office remains resilient, grossing $87 million in its second US weekend toward a $640 million global total. Meanwhile, X owner Elon Musk criticized the film's diverse casting, and users faced widespread 'Rickroll' pranks when searching for the leaked footage.

Odyssey bootleg on X

▪A lower-quality version of The Odyssey appeared on X on July 26, 2026, and was removed two hours later after amassing nearly 50,000 views.
▪A high-quality bootleg of Christopher Nolan's film The Odyssey was uploaded to X on July 25, 2026, and accumulated over 2.1 million views in two and a half hours before the hosting account was suspended.

Box office performance resilience

▪The Odyssey grossed $87 million in the United States during its second weekend of release, bringing its global box office total to approximately $640 million.
▪The Odyssey was shot entirely using IMAX 70mm film cameras, which has been marketed as a theatrical spectacle best experienced on the biggest screen possible.

Universal Pictures takedown response

▪Universal Pictures stated that the studio takes copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all appropriate remedies to protect its content and intellectual property rights.
▪Universal Pictures immediately initiated takedown protocols upon becoming aware of the unauthorized posting of The Odyssey on X.

Elon Musk casting criticism

▪Elon Musk stated that his artificial intelligence tool Grok Imagine would create a historically accurate adaptation of Homer's Odyssey to release in 2026.
▪X owner Elon Musk criticized the casting choices of The Odyssey, specifically questioning diversity requirements and the casting of Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy.

Fake links and Rickrolls

▪Multiple accounts on X posted fake links to other pirated movies, adding to the confusion surrounding the leak of The Odyssey.
▪Many links on X claiming to show the leaked version of The Odyssey redirected users to Rick Astley's 1987 music video Never Gonna Give You Up as an internet prank.