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Prof Decries Nolan's God-less “Odyssey”; Oates Labels Critique “MAGA”

8/5/2026

Summary

Story summary

Emily Wilson, a classics professor, criticized Christopher Nolan’s “Odyssey” adaptation for erasing gods and Odysseus’s wit, a stance that Joyce Carol Oates labeled “crude language of MAGA folks.”
Nolan said Wilson’s 2017 line “Tell me about a complicated man” inspired his film, nearing a billion-dollar gross a month after release.
The screenplay omits Odysseus’s Trojan-horse invention, limiting his cleverness, and depicts societal decline, prompting Wilson to urge protection of traits.

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Story summary

Emily Wilson, a classics professor, criticized Christopher Nolan’s “Odyssey” adaptation for erasing gods and Odysseus’s wit, a stance that Joyce Carol Oates labeled “crude language of MAGA folks.”
Nolan said Wilson’s 2017 line “Tell me about a complicated man” inspired his film, nearing a billion-dollar gross a month after release.
The screenplay omits Odysseus’s Trojan-horse invention, limiting his cleverness, and depicts societal decline, prompting Wilson to urge protection of traits.