MAGA Boycott of Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Backfires After Diverse Cast Powers $639 Million Global Hit

Calls from prominent MAGA commentators to boycott Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey appear to have had little impact on cinema audiences after the historical epic raced to a staggering $639 million (£474 million) at the global box office.

The film, which sparked weeks of online debate over its diverse cast, has instead become one of the year's biggest commercial successes, undermining predictions that audiences would reject Nolan's latest blockbuster because of its casting decisions.

Conservative Critics Targeted the Film Before Release

Several conservative commentators criticised Nolan's decision to cast actors from a variety of ethnic backgrounds in key roles inspired by Homer's legendary tale.

Particular attention focused on Lupita Nyong'o's casting and the inclusion of transgender actor Elliot Page in the ensemble, prompting accusations that Hollywood had embraced diversity at the expense of historical authenticity.

Some online commentators revived the familiar slogan 'go woke, go broke', predicting the film would struggle financially because of its casting.

During a podcast discussing the backlash, host Charles argued that many critics had become fixated on culture-war debates rather than the film itself.

He said: 'One of the things where people actually got pretty fired up was over The Odyssey. They lost their minds over fictional tale. These people have just gone crazy. Too much diversity for them. They cannot handle it.'

The criticism quickly spread across social media, with several right-wing personalities encouraging supporters to avoid buying cinema tickets altogether.

The Box Office Numbers Told a Very Different Story

Produced on a reported budget of $250 million (£185 million), The Odyssey has already earned approximately $639 million (£474 million) worldwide. Industry projections discussed during the podcast suggest the film could eventually finish with between $1.1 billion (£816 million) and $1.3 billion (£964 million) globally if its current momentum continues.

Those figures would comfortably place Nolan's latest release among the highest grossing films of the year.

Reflecting on the financial performance, the podcast host said, 'Going woke made you a lot of money in this case.'

The success has also challenged repeated claims that diverse casting automatically leads to poor financial results.

Instead, the film has demonstrated that strong audience interest and Nolan's reputation as one of Hollywood's leading directors remain significant draws regardless of political controversy.

Prominent MAGA Figures Continued Their Opposition

Even after the film's commercial success became apparent, several influential conservative voices maintained their criticism.

Commentator Matt Walsh argued that the casting choices represented one of Hollywood's strongest examples of diversity-driven storytelling.

He claimed the film's inclusion of transgender and ethnically diverse actors fundamentally altered the story's presentation.

Meanwhile, conservative commentator Benny Johnson publicly explained why he refused to watch the film in cinemas despite its popularity.

Speaking on his programme, Johnson said: 'For my principled stance, I refuse to engage in this piece of culture.'

He argued that purchasing a cinema ticket would support what he described as Hollywood's wider cultural direction, insisting he would instead wait until the film became available through streaming platforms.

The debate also spread across social media, where users continued arguing over casting choices, review scores and comparisons with earlier adaptations of Greek mythology.