Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Opening Leaks Online, Sparks Fierce Backlash

Just hours after select IMAX screenings debuted the first five minutes of Christopher Nolan’s highly awaited epic The Odyssey, the footage swiftly found its way onto social media through multiple posts

on X and other platforms. Though the clips were quickly removed due to copyright strikes, they were online long enough to ignite an intense battle of opinions.

The full film is not slated to release until July 2026, but anticipation has been building steadily since the initial teaser dropped earlier this year. The leaked prologue—featuring glimpses of key cast members, including Matt Damon—offered the first extended look at Nolan’s three-hour historical odyssey. Even though much of what circulated was low-quality, shaky cam footage, viewers wasted no time in forming judgments about the director’s next big-screen spectacle.

Fans Confused, Divided and Swift to Compare

Some users initially wondered whether the clips were even real, speculating that the footage might be AI-generated—especially considering the flood of fabricated trailers plaguing upcoming releases. But doubts vanished as soon as the videos were pulled down for copyright infringement, confirming their authenticity.

What followed was a frenzy of mixed reactions. A recurring complaint—mocked widely by film fans—was the accusation that the opening looked too similar to Troy. Given that the leaked sequence is from the film’s “prologue,” comparisons were predictable but quickly labelled “moronic” by Nolan loyalists. One frustrated user snapped, “For those saying this is a Troy remake, what do I say?”

From “Nothing Special” to “Nolan Never Misses”

Beyond the debate over aesthetics, reactions ranged from lukewarm to euphoric. Some viewers dismissed the footage as “nothing special” or said there was “nothing here to inspire awe.” Others saw the brief glimpse as proof that Nolan is once again operating on an unmatched cinematic scale.

Fans praised everything from the cinematography to the score, writing, “Nolan never misses,” and calling the footage “f-cking outstanding.” For many, the grainy clips only heightened their anticipation for the full IMAX experience Nolan is known to craft meticulously.

With nearly two years still to go before its release, The Odyssey has already ignited the kind of conversation only a Christopher Nolan film can—passionate, polarized and impossible to ignore.