Elon Musk previously took aim at Christopher Nolan's adaptation of Homer's epic "The Odyssey," declaring that his Grok Imagine AI tool would produce a feature-length version that was historically accurate and faithful to Homer's artistic vision before the end of 2026. The first episode, running roughly seven minutes, has now arrived — and its visuals and character performances are already drawing criticism.
The AI-generated project was created by Grok Imagine in collaboration with Wonder Studios and director Dev Walker. It follows Odysseus as he attempts to avoid fighting in the Trojan War, only to ultimately lead his forces into battle.
Musk previously criticized Nolan for casting Lupita Nyong'o as Helen, even accusing the director of being an anti-white racist. He also reposted anti-transgender remarks targeting Elliot Page, who actually plays Sinon in the film — not Achilles, as earlier reports had incorrectly claimed.
The project failed to win over critics after its debut. British newspaper The Daily Telegraph wrote that:
The characters' vacant stares and emotionless voices made the episode feel as though it were populated by zombies. The review also noted that Odysseus' wife, Penelope, repeatedly changes appearance from scene to scene, resulting in visuals that feel both crude and unsettling. However, the outlet found that some of the battle sequences captured the epic scale of Zack Snyder's "300."
Meanwhile, WIRED asked Grok whether the production was historically accurate, and the AI itself said it was not. It pointed out that "The Odyssey" is a mythological epic and that the characters speak modern English while inhabiting a cinematic vision of Ancient Greece, making the project far from a rigorous historical reconstruction.
By comparison, Nolan's "The Odyssey" opened in July 2026 and has earned nearly $1.8 billion worldwide, making it the director's highest-grossing film. Musk originally promised a complete feature, but the first release has instead arrived as an episodic video. Whether the project will ultimately become a full-length movie remains to be seen.