Tech billionaire Elon Musk has stirred controversy online by criticising acclaimed filmmaker Christopher Nolan amid casting debates for his upcoming epic film The Odyssey.

Musk responded on X (formerly Twitter) to a post questioning reports that Lupita Nyong’o might portray Helen of Troy in the movie. The post argued that casting Nyong’o could be "an insult" to the ancient Greek poet Homer, who described Helen as fair-skinned and blonde in The Odyssey, famously dubbing her “the face that launched a thousand ships.”

Reacting to the post, Musk tweeted, “Chris Nolan has lost his integrity.”

Nyong’o’s potential involvement was first reported by Variety in November 2024, with the film’s title officially revealed in December. Her role in the production remains unconfirmed.

The Odyssey features a star-studded ensemble including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, and Elliot Page. Rapper Travis Scott, a ten-time Grammy nominee, has also joined the cast, appearing in a promotional TV spot aired during Fox’s broadcast of the NFL AFC Championship game.

The film is being hailed as a technical milestone, marking the first narrative feature to be shot entirely on IMAX cameras. Nolan revealed that a new “blimp” casing system now allows intimate scenes to capture usable sound despite IMAX cameras’ previously loud operation.

Details regarding Nyong’o’s character and the official release date for The Odyssey have yet to be announced.

With inputs from NDTV