Elon Musk's Grok Imagine platform released a 7-minute first episode of the "Epic Odyssey" entirely created by artificial intelligence (AI) on social media platform X. This follows his announcement three months ago to produce a full-length film that would be "historically accurate and faithful to the art of Homer," aiming to outdo Christopher Nolan's Hollywood version. However, viewers heavily criticized the work for its low quality and lack of taste.
Elon Musk, the technology billionaire, published a 7-minute AI-generated film clip, marking the first episode of a project adapting "The Odyssey" by Homer, the ancient Greek poet.It was released via the Grok Imagine account on the X platform.On Friday (23 Oct), Musk stated it was a creative collaboration with Wonder Studios and director Dave Walker, both experts in AI film production.
Earlier in July, Musk announced that Grok Imagine would complete a full-length film version of The Odyssey by the end of 2026, affirming it would be historically accurate and faithful to Homer's art. He also shared a 3-minute AI clip created by an X user depicting a scene between Odysseus and Calypso, the nymph from Greek mythology.
This announcement came after Christopher Nolan's film version of The Odyssey premiered in theaters on 17 July, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, the hero attempting to return home to Ithaca after the Trojan War. Along the way, he faces legendary monsters and dangerous obstacles. Meanwhile, his wife Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway, tries to deal with suitors, and his son Telemachus, portrayed by Tom Holland, searches for his father.
Other cast members include Robert Pattinson as Antinous, one of Penelope's suitors; Zendaya as the goddess Athena; Samantha Morton as Cersei; and Charlize Theron as Calypso.
However, Musk criticized Nolan's casting choices, especially Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy and Elliot Page as Sinon, accusing Nolan of distorting Homer's work to align with what Musk called "woke" concepts aimed at winning Oscars. Musk also claimed these casting decisions were made to meet representation and inclusion criteria set by the Academy Awards.
The 7-minute AI clip begins with Odysseus preparing to sail to Troy, with Penelope giving him a small wooden horse doll to take back to their infant son. The footage alternates between the Greek army preparing for battle, fighting in Troy, and scenes of Telemachus growing up and training in combat.
Many viewers noted that all characters in the clip are white and exhibit typical AI-generated features such as perfectly aligned teeth and flawlessly smooth, retouched-looking skin. The characters speak English instead of Ancient Greek, despite Musk's claim that the film would be true to Homer's original. Moreover, only the name Odysseus is mentioned, leaving unfamiliar viewers guessing the identities and roles of other characters.
Most responses on X were mocking and strongly critical. One user wrote that if this is the work of the world's richest man, AI films are unlikely to replace human-made films anytime soon. Another said the clip shows AI's limited understanding of art and humanity. Yet another called the work “clear trash” and said Musk lacks artistic taste.
Some viewers also questioned the unnatural movements in the footage, which looked as if everything was underwater. Another compared the character designs unfavorably to AI-created characters from the Game of Thrones series.
Previously, Scott Derrickson, director of Doctor Strange and The Black Phone, openly criticized Musk's project on X, accusing Musk of lacking understanding of film and offering worthless opinions on art.
Meanwhile, Nolan's film adaptation of The Odyssey achieved major box office success, debuting worldwide with $264.1 million and setting a record as the director's highest opening. It earned $289 million from IMAX screenings by August, the highest ever for that format.
Universal Pictures revealed in September that the film had grossed $1.685 billion globally, surpassing Jurassic World to become the studio's highest-grossing film ever. Later reports indicated total earnings exceeded $1.7 billion.
Nolan has dismissed criticism regarding the film's historical accuracy, viewing pre-release debates as irrelevant since critics have not yet seen the actual work.
Nolan also compared AI to the "Trojan horse" that the Greek army used to secretly infiltrate Troy. In an interview with French journalist Hugo Travers, he said AI is a transparent Trojan horse, as if made of glass, allowing everyone to see what is happening inside.
.sourceIndependent/Variety