The Odyssey of Homer, which has been launched and directed as The Odyssey of Christopher Nolan, has created a worldwide discussion with lovers and haters of this epic 3-hour movie, which cleverly has dragged in its spiral, millions and millions of people, debating on social media, while it is making its profit 3 times of the cost of the movie.
But nobody has ever stopped for a second and wondered who is behind this amazing strategic communication stunt that has led to such heated debates. It is a wonder indeed on how a spark has created an entire fire that is getting bigger and bigger even before the movie premiered. I have to say though, that congratulations have to be attributed to the Strategic Communications brain behind all of this campaign. But let’s see how the spark became a fire…
First, it was the mentioning of placing as Helen of Troy, famous actress, Lupita Nyong’o who is not only beautiful but truly talented. The detail though in Homer’s Odyssey that describes Helen, with alabaster white arms, created such a tornado of comments for months and months. Strategic Communication goal achieved? Yes! Got the attention of the audience!
Second, rumors started that Achilles would be portrayed by Elliot Page. Once again, there were comments and doubts, about the physicality of Achilles, and how dare they place such and such actor, and then politics came in about the “woke” agenda, and about Nolan destroying Greek culture, and how it is an insult etc etc. Strategic Communication goal achieved? Yes! Get professionals and scholars attention. Their involvement, secures your authenticity, gives you credit and drives more discussion on social media, making your investors happy!
It is not a coincidence, that the discussion that started was spread over the internet within 24 hours with the Greeks expressing their anger and with scholars and professionals declaring their disappointment about the choices, and the inaccuracy of the movie, and how Nolan, an Oscar winner director could ever do such a thing. Strategic Communication goal achieved? Yes! Direct the attention of the audience wherever you wish for them to focus!
What is amazing though, is that throughout the heated debates, nothing was mentioned about Odysseus, as people accepted the talented Matt Damon, and praised Ann Hathaway as Penelope.
The buzz kept going – it is still going strong until this day – and millions of people are going to the cinemas to watch the movie. Nolan, cleverly placed his actors where he wanted because you see, his Odyssey was never about Helen of Troy or Achilles. Nolan knows that these two characters are the ones who always won the admiration of the audiences. This was not his vision for this movie.
Nolan’s Odyssey is all about getting into the soul of Odysseus. His purpose was to meet the man behind the myth. And I truly believe he did. Perhaps Nolan feels that Odysseus is similar to him. Maybe Nolan sees himself in Odysseus and his quest to return home.
Filming the Odyssey on IMAX, is not a coincidence for the director. Why was it mentioned so many times over the promotion of the film?
Because Nolan wanted to strategically communicate his own personal journey of actually returning “home” as a director.
Along with Odysseus, he also had the quest of going back to the traditional film making which he loves, after decades of creating and filming with new technologies. Nolan, wanted to find himself through this film.
So, we may say that, the Odyssey then, is not about Odysseus struggles of returning back to his wife, to his son and his kingdom. It is a journey of self-discovery, of returning back to your true self that perhaps you lost through the years. And that is exactly what Nolan, captivated inside his head and wanted to share with the rest of the world.
Of course, the world of today, with AI, Meta and CGIs and all the crazy technologies would not bother to give two cents about the inner journey of a man, in which Nolan saw himself. That is why, before the myth, they had to create a buzz. Everyone was talking about a movie they had not even watched! Strategic Communication at its best!
The A-lister actors were there! Everyone wanted to be part of the greatest epic of all times. The superficial message to reach the masses was strategically communicated. I mean who would not go to watch Zendaya or Spider Man (Tom Holland) in an epic movie? And how about Travis Scott with his 40 million following on social media? His character is so cleverly placed in the movie as the “singer -rapsodos” of the palace, telling the stories of warriors – something that a lot of people mentioned “feels like the rapping of ancient times…” that inevitably has led his fans to watch the movie and learn something new.
You see strategic communication is at its best
when it is performed through the arts.
And especially through Hollywood where every detail is planned and scheduled. The goal has been achieved. The entire planet is talking about the Odyssey, tickets have skyrocketed and no matter what, it is the talk of the town while people keep “fighting” on social media, sharing opinions, knowledge and thoughts.
For a while, people will be interested in the Odyssey, some may read the actual book, some may hear the story Homer created on Audible, but the legacy will continue, with the help and assistance of the strategic communication that used only 2 people to “awaken” an entire planet. Interesting isn’t it?
Closing this article, allow me to use a phrase by the great Konstantin Stanislavski:
“As artists we need to create art to be eternal…”
Homer’s Odyssey is eternal and it will be read, discussed and performed in the years and aeons to come…