Elon Musk has renewed his criticism of Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film The Odyssey following new casting confirmations published in a Time magazine profile on May 12, 2026. The backlash centers around the officially confirmed involvement of Lupita Nyong’o and Elliot Page in the film’s ensemble cast, reigniting an online dispute Musk first sparked earlier this year over Nolan’s interpretation of characters from Homer’s classic Greek epic.
Elon Musk continues attack amid casting reveal
The newest conflict has occurred after Time disclosed that Nyong’o will be taking part in The Odyssey in a dual role portraying both Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. The character Helen has been known for being described in Greek mythology as the most beautiful woman alive, while her sister Clytemnestra is one of the story’s main tragic heroes.
Another cast member that Time confirmed is Elliot Page who is believed to be playing Achilles according to numerous industry reports despite the lack of an official announcement from Universal Pictures.
This follows comments that Elon Musk posted last February when rumors about casting Nyong’o as Helen of Troy spread online. The user complained to Musk that it would be impossible to find someone who resembles the character described in Homer’s poetry. As a result, Elon Musk called Christopher Nolan ‘dishonest’ in terms of keeping his promise.
However, after the publication of the casting information from Time, Musk went even further by accusing Nolan of making casting decisions because of his interest in getting Academy Awards. This comment comes during the discussion about the diversity and inclusion standards required to be eligible for the category of Best Picture nominations.
In addition to the posts related to the controversy, Musk endorsed a controversial comment from conservative commentator Matt Walsh who also criticized casting Nyong’o as Helen of Troy. On social media, he argued that Nolan did not want to upset anyone by casting a white actress for the role. Elon Musk reacted to that statement by posting a single word ‘true’.
Moreover, the conflict between Elon Musk and Nolan continued after reports connected Page with the role of Achilles. According to numerous industry reports, Musk reposted some negative comments mocking Page’s gender identity and openly criticized the casting decision. Elon Musk posted one reaction where he called this idea “one of the dumbest and most twisted things I’ve ever heard.”
While the conflict keeps raging on the internet, Universal Pictures has announced that the production process of The Odyssey proceeds. The film is Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem which describes Odysseus’ journey home from the Trojan War.
The cast of The Odyssey features Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Zendaya as Athena, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, Charlize Theron as Circe, Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, and Himesh Patel as Eurylochus.
Nolan is directing and writing the project for Universal Pictures alongside producer Emma Thomas through their Syncopy banner. The Odyssey is scheduled to release exclusively in theaters and IMAX on July 17, 2026.
