"Black Helen is fine, but no Greek?" Controversy persists just before the release of the blockbuster film 'The Odyssey'

*This content was translated by AI.

Christopher Nolan's new film "The Odyssey" is facing persistent casting controversy ahead of its London world premiere on July 7. Even with only about ten days remaining until its U.S. release on July 17, online debates continue to rage.

As a result, unfavorable comments have been posted on the official trailer released by the production company on the 1st, and despite being unofficial figures, reports have emerged that the video has a high number of "dislikes."

The core of the controversy lies in casting. Months ago, it was already announced that Lupita Nyong'o, a Black actress of Kenyan-Mexican descent, would play Helen of Troy, the most beautiful woman in Greek mythology, sparking significant backlash. This was compounded by concerns over "Zendaya fatigue" regarding Zendaya's role as Athena and Elliot Page's casting as Achilles.

The inclusion of modern expressions such as "Dad" and "Let's Go!" in a setting based on ancient Greece also drew criticism. Elon Musk publicly criticized Nolan, stating he was doing it to win awards, while major European outlets like Le Monde (France) reported on the issue, intensifying backlash within Greece itself.

Another point of controversy is that not a single actor of Greek descent appears in any major role in a film based on Greek mythology. The Greek local media outlet Greek City Times issued an open letter stating, "We have not disappeared. We are still here," expressing strong regret over the absence of Greeks among the lead cast.

Criticism intensified further given that much of the film was shot on location in Greece and the Greek Ministry of Culture provided approximately 6.5 million euros (about 97 billion won) in subsidies for the project. Outlets such as Le Monde (France) also focused their reporting on reactions from within Greece, helping to elevate the issue to an international level.

On the other hand, Brown University professor Yanis Hamilakis countered the casting controversy by stating, "The claim that all ancient Greeks were white is historically incorrect."

The casting controversy is also reflected in YouTube statistics. Although YouTube has not publicly disclosed dislike counts since 2021, data aggregated through browser extension programs indicates that the countdown trailer released on July 1 has surpassed 400,000 dislikes (with 62,000 likes).

This is an unusual figure compared to Nolan's previous hits: "Inception" had only 21 dislikes on its trailer, and "Oppenheimer" received a 99% positive rating. Universal Pictures posted promotional photos for the London premiere on X (formerly Twitter) on the 5th while restricting comments.

However, counterarguments are also substantial. The Greek Moon Hwa-bu (Minister) stated, "Art cannot be censored," while Christos Toss of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki defended the film by saying, "The Odyssey is not a geographical journey but an internal one; what matters is conveying universal messages."

Box office tracking projects that the film will earn between $80 million and $100 million during its first weekend in the U.S., leading many to expect smooth box office performance. This blockbuster, starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron, is scheduled for release in Korea on August 5.

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*This content was translated by AI.