Leaked version of ‘The Odyssey’ draws millions of views on X

Millions of social media users viewed an unauthorised copy of Christopher Nolan’s latest film, The Odyssey, after it was leaked on X over the weekend, prompting a swift response from Universal Pictures.

According to entertainment industry publication Variety, a post containing a high-quality version of the three-hour epic amassed approximately 2.1 million views within two and a half hours on Saturday before the account responsible was suspended. A lower-quality version also surfaced on Sunday, attracting nearly 50,000 views before it was removed about two hours later, The Hollywood Reporter reported.

The leak sparked widespread discussion online, with users expressing surprise that the full-length movie could be shared directly on the platform.

“The full Odyssey movie in a tweet, as Nolan intended,” one user joked, while another wrote: “Someone leaked The Odyssey movie in HD. I thought it was fake but it’s true.”

The incident comes as director Christopher Nolan has repeatedly emphasized that The Odyssey was designed to be experienced on the biggest screens possible. The film was shot entirely using IMAX 70mm cameras, making it the first theatrical feature to be filmed completely in the large-format technology renowned for its exceptional image quality.

Starring Matt Damon and Zendaya, the epic adaptation has drawn audiences to cinemas worldwide since its release. Despite the online leak, industry analysts believe the film’s commercial performance is unlikely to suffer significantly.

Universal Pictures confirmed it acted quickly to remove the unauthorized uploads.

“We became aware of the unauthorised posting of the film and immediately initiated takedown protocols,” the studio said in a statement.

“We take copyright infringement seriously and will pursue all appropriate remedies to protect our content and intellectual property rights.”

The film has continued to perform strongly at the global box office, earning $215 million during its second weekend in cinemas and bringing its worldwide total to approximately $640 million.

The incident highlights the ongoing challenge studios face in protecting major film releases from digital piracy, even as blockbuster productions continue to draw millions of viewers to cinemas.

(BBC News)