Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence venture Grok has posted a seven-minute video labeled as the first chapter of an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic “The Odyssey,” months after the billionaire promised to produce a full-length, computer-generated film.
The video was shared Friday on Musk’s social media service X, according to reports from Variety and TechCrunch. Grok described the release as a creative collaboration with Wonder Studios and director Dev Walker, both known for producing AI-assisted visual media. Musk had previously pledged in July that his software tool Grok Imagine would complete an entirely AI-generated movie before the end of 2026.
Dispute over Hollywood blockbuster
Musk first announced the project as a direct challenge to director Christopher Nolan’s theatrical adaptation of “The Odyssey.” Ahead of that movie’s summer premiere, Musk publicly criticized Nolan’s casting choices, focusing his complaints on Lupita Nyong’o playing Helen of Troy and Elliot Page appearing as Sinon, Variety reported.
Musk alleged that Nolan made those casting decisions solely to satisfy the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences’ diversity standards, going as far as to label Nolan an “anti-White racist” on social media in March, according to Variety and Rolling Stone. In July, Musk vowed that Grok Imagine would deliver an adaptation that was “historically accurate and true to the art of Homer.”
The announcement provoked immediate pushback from Hollywood creators. Film director Scott Derrickson condemned the initiative on X at the time, writing that Musk “doesn’t know shit about cinema” and calling his artistic opinions “worthless,” Variety reported.
Critical reception and box office contrast
Rather than a feature film, Grok presented the project as “Episode 1 of our Odyssey series.” Reviews across technology and entertainment publications highlighted sharp contrasts between Musk’s initial assertions and the finished product.
Rolling Stone reported that despite promises of historical accuracy, the characters in the animated chapter speak modern English rather than Homeric Greek, with several viewers describing the computer-generated performances as wooden. TechCrunch noted that the seven-minute segment relies heavily on exposition delivered by a British-accented narrator over visuals of bearded sailors at sea, calling the presentation rigid and lacking artistic momentum.
The AI venture arrives as Nolan’s live-action version continues to dominate the global box office. Nolan’s production, which relied on practical sets across six countries and casts of thousands, has earned more than $600 million in the U.S. and over $1.78 billion worldwide, according to Rolling Stone. The Grok video had accumulated roughly 4 million views on X shortly after its release.
Neither Musk nor xAI has announced a release schedule for future installments or confirmed whether the project will still culminate in a unified feature before the end of the year.
