Film critics are thrilled that Universal skipped influencer screenings for ‘The Odyssey’

From the moment Announced in late 2024, Christopher Nolan An ambitious adaptation of Homer Odyssey It has been a source of heated debate among the world’s keyboard warriors.

Higher-level disputes concern questions of how the ancient Greek epic was translated to the screen and the relative importance of precise period details. Ugly rock bottom battles revolve around the film Variety casting She supposedly “woke up” to the source material.

But whatever their perception of the film, online influence seekers and tastemakers won’t be the ones providing first impressions from the actual screenings. And in a sign of the clear confidence he expressed Hollywood Reporter On Thursday, Universal Studios opted to skip the previews it typically holds for influencers. These shows, popular across the industry, tend to generate significant acclaim on social media and fan blogs, which may mitigate the blow of mixed or negative reviews from professional critics.

While it should be noted that any number of TikTok and YouTube creators will still be able to watch the film Before its release Along with the press, the decision not to court their hype directly has proven widely popular – not least among film critics themselves, many of whom plan to attend the conference. Odyssey It will be released after its world premiere on July 7 in London.

Scott Mantz, one of the founders of the Hollywood Critics Association, was not one to belittle his approval of this move. “good!!” he books In a post reacting to the news on X. “Because everyone knows the reactions of so-called ‘influencers’ on social media are complete bullshit.”

Other writers were a little more sarcastic, if they also seemed happy; IndieWire lead film critic David Ehrlich Jokingly On X, “This is what Homer would have wanted.” Some wondered whether this disdain might be a sign of a developing trend. “Good on the global!” books Kristen Lopez, editor-in-chief of independent newsletter The Film Maven, on Channel X. “It will be interesting to see if other studios follow suit (although I’m leaning not).”

Tim Grierson, a leading American critic of Screen InternationalWIRED says that skipping influencer shows is a “great” idea. “Actual film critics have gotten used to the way studios try to downplay anything we have by often letting influential people be the first to talk about a movie,” he says. “It’s just another way in which Hollywood is trying to instill the idea that some new blockbuster movies are actually ‘for fans, not critics.’”

Instead, Universal is betting on the old hype cycle. “Basically, the studio is advertising that it doesn’t need influencers — who tend to be very pushy and uncritical — to boost a film’s initial word of mouth,” Grierson says. At the same time, he points out, “It was also a smart move on Nolan’s part, because now everyone who gets invited to a press screening — including influencers, who will be watching it at the same time as the rest of us — will feel like, ‘Oh, Christopher Nolan appreciates me as an intelligent, professional critic!'”

“Whether intentional or not, this is certainly not the worst way to endear yourself to the people who are responsible for reviewing your film,” says Grierson, who expects to review the film himself. (And who knows, maybe critics who feel their work gets the respect it deserves will be more inclined to write positively about the film.)

While a handful of those affected Anti-woke crusaders The claim that raising the response of establishment critics over hot takes from internet personalities indicates fear of it Odyssey In the face of significant right-wing backlash, there’s no reason to doubt anyone at Universal is sweating it out right now. The film is on track to have a huge opening $80 million to $100 millionand were cinema applications and websites Immediately overloaded When tickets went on sale earlier this month. He broke the record for Most seats are sold out In a 24-hour period at BFI IMAX, which features the largest screen in the UK, screenings in the premium IMAX and 70mm formats quickly sell out across the US, leading scalpers to… List tickets for up to $1,000 On eBay.