Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is already predicted to be one of the biggest films this year, with people counting down the days for his take on the legendary Greek tale.
Part of the excitement comes from its star-studded lineup. Matt Damon leads the cast as Odysseus, alongside Anne Hathaway as Penelope and Tom Holland as Telemachus.
They’re joined by Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Zendaya as Athena, Charlize Theron as Calypso, Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, as well as Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, Himesh Patel, Samantha Morton, Mia Goth, Elliot Page, and Bill Irwin.
Tim P. Whitby / Getty Images for Universal Pictures
Related: “41 Wildly Unrealistic Things That Always Happen In Movies But Would Never IRL”
Among those fuelling the backlash is Elon Musk, who has repeatedly weighed in on the film’s casting in recent months.
Responding to news that Nyong’o would play Helen of Troy after one user described the decision as “disgusting”, Musk wrote: “Chris Nolan has lost his integrity.”
Meanwhile, right-wing commentator Matt Walsh wrote: “Not one person on the planet actually thinks that Lupita Nyong’o is ‘the most beautiful woman in the world.’ But Christopher Nolan knows that he would be called racist if he gave ‘the most beautiful woman’ role to a white woman. Nolan is technically talented but a coward.”
Related: “Only Empaths Will Have Seen 35/60 Of These Comfort Movies”
During a recent interview with Elle, Nyong’o addressed the backlash, reminding critics that The Odyssey is a “mythological story”.
Speaking about director Nolan’s vision, she said: “I’m very supportive of Chris’s intention with [The Odyssey] and with the version of this story that he is telling.”
She also made clear she has no interest in responding to online criticism, adding: “Our cast is representative of the world. I’m not spending my time thinking of a defence. The criticism will exist whether I engage with it or not.”
Nyong’o continued: “It’s quite something to be a part of The Odyssey, because it is so grand. It spans worlds. So that’s why the cast is what it is. We’re occupying the epic narrative of our time.”
Related: “Which “My Hero Academia” Season 8 Character Are You?”
Speaking to Variety, the Oscar-winning director said he wasn’t fazed by the online reaction.
“Comes with the territory,” Nolan said of the backlash. “But look, these conversations that happen before people see the film — they’re always irrelevant, because no one having them knows what the film actually is yet”.
BuzzFeed reached out to Universal Pictures for comment.
Your daily brain workout: If You Can Crack These Word Chains Then You’re Basically A Genius And Need To Start Acting Like It
Also in TVAndMovies: “This 25-Question Cartoon Quiz Will Reveal If You’re A Boomer At Heart”
Also in TVAndMovies: “Only Movie Buffs With Elite Taste Can Ace This Classic Films Quiz”