Universal SKIPS influencer screenings of The Odyssey after woke casting controversies

Universal Pictures is taking a different route with Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey, opting to skip early influencer screenings ahead of its July release, with critics instead set to be the first outside audience to see the movie following its London premiere, per The Hollywood Reporter. It comes at a time where people wonder if the movie is going to be too woke over casting decisions.

The studio plans to hold its global premiere screening in London on July 6, after which the film will move directly into press critic reviews, according to industry reporting. That decision marks a shift from the increasingly common practice of hosting advance screenings for influencers, fan accounts, and entertainment bloggers who typically post early reactions on social media.

Influencer screenings have become a standard marketing tool for many blockbuster releases, though studios still decide case-by-case depending on the project. The strategy is often used to generate early positive buzz online ahead of wider critical reviews.

Universal’s move comes as some studios are revaluating influencer-driven marketing, with audiences increasingly questioning promotional campaigns that appear tightly coordinated between studios and social media creators.

In recent years, similar strategies have drawn attention. Disney was previously criticized after a promotional stunt involving The Mandalorian and Grogu star Pedro Pascal at Disneyland was presented online as if he had appeared unexpectedly before regular visitors. Warner Bros. also faced skepticism after heavily positive influencer reactions to Supergirl, which later received more mixed critic reviews and holds a 59 percent score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Universal itself has used influencer screenings before, including recently for Disclosure Day, which produced widely circulated social media reactions such as “Spielberg’s best film in 20 years.”

The new Nolan film is scheduled to hit theaters July 17 and features an ensemble cast led by Matt Damon as Odysseus. The story follows the Greek hero’s journey home after the Trojan War, alongside characters including Penelope (Anne Hathaway), Telemachus (Tom Holland), and Antinous (Robert Pattinson).

The film also includes Charlize Theron as Calypso, John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, and Benny Safdie as Agamemnon. Rapper Travis Scott appears as a bard.

Lupita Nyong’o is set to play dual roles as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. Director Christopher Nolan confirmed the casting in a Time profile, stating Nyong’o would portray both Helen and her sister Clytemnestra.

The casting choices have drawn commentary online. The Daily Wire’s Matt Walsh wrote about the casting decision: "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. Too afraid to do anything that even slightly challenges the spirit of the age."

Nyong’o, 43, previously appeared in Black Panther, 12 Years a Slave, Us, and A Quiet Place.