The Odyssey is already getting dragged into the culture war.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is bringing an ancient epic back to the big screen.
But before audiences have even had the chance to see it, the film has found itself caught in a very modern battle.
Holland, a U.K.-based historian with more than 372,000 followers on X. Regularly shares insights on everything from the Greco-Persian Wars to the Roman Empire.
But with The Odyssey arriving in cinemas, his focus has shifted from ancient battles to a very current one: the culture wars.
The anticipation surrounding Nolan’s version has been building for more than a year, with early screenings reportedly selling out.
The film stars Tom Holland as Telemachus, the son of Odysseus, alongside a major ensemble cast.
However, some critics have focused heavily on the casting choices, particularly Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy. The mythical figure whose beauty “launched a thousand ships”, and Elliot Page as Sinus, a warrior who fought alongside Odysseus.
Some argue the casting does not fit their idea of ancient Greece.
Though, mythology has never been a fixed historical record, but a constantly evolving collection of stories that have been reshaped by countless cultures and creators.
Among the louder voices criticising the film was Elon Musk, who recently took aim at Holland after the historian praised Nolan’s adaptation.
“Very happy to say it again,” the historian wrote on X. “The Odyssey is an amazing film, and missing out on seeing it because you think it’s woke or whatever is cutting off your nose to spite your face. Your loss.”
For Holland, a story that has survived thousands of years does not belong to one specific interpretation. He believes Nolan’s adaptation deserves to be judged as a film, not a culture war battleground.
