Story perspectives

Emily Wilson's Scathing Review of Nolan's “Odyssey” Sparks Backlash

7/31/2026

Summary

Story summary

Emily Wilson published a review July 30, 2026, calling Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” abysmal and lacking depth.
Wilson condemned the race-neutral casting for limiting non-white actors to “the Black best friend” roles.
She denounced filming near Dakhla in Western Sahara, a UN-listed non-self-governing area, as a troubling ethical problem.
The review crashed the London Review of Books website, sparked backlash, and drew criticism from Joyce Carol Oates calling it haughty.

History

Historical Context

Ridley Scott’s 2014 biblical epic Exodus: Gods and Kings, later banned in Egypt for perceived Zionist bias, exemplifies longstanding regional bans of biblical films. In July 2026, scholar Emily Wilson denounced Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey for race-neutral casting and for shooting near the UN-listed Western Sahara enclave of Dakhla, echoing the earlier controversy.

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Story summary

Emily Wilson published a review July 30, 2026, calling Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” abysmal and lacking depth.
Wilson condemned the race-neutral casting for limiting non-white actors to “the Black best friend” roles.
She denounced filming near Dakhla in Western Sahara, a UN-listed non-self-governing area, as a troubling ethical problem.
The review crashed the London Review of Books website, sparked backlash, and drew criticism from Joyce Carol Oates calling it haughty.

1 / 2