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It is a display of strength worthy of Odysseus.
Universal decided to skip doing word-of-mouth (aka influencers) for Christopher Nolan Odyssey.
Instead, after the film’s world premiere in London on July 6, the film will open to film critics.
The move bucks the trend of studios pre-empting professional reviews by inviting bloggers and fan site influencers to see major releases in advance and then allowing them to post mini-reviews (often very enthusiastic) on social media.
Studios typically decide whether to hold oral screenings on a case-by-case basis depending on the film, but it has become pretty standard procedure for films aiming for popcorn blockbuster status.
Universal’s decision also comes at a time when fans are becoming more aware of the relationship between studio marketing departments and influencers.
For example, Disney was quickly called out for its use of influencers in a viral stunt where… The Mandalorian and Grogu Star Pedro Pascal surprised a group of fans at Disneyland (the moment was shown online as if Pascal had appeared before unsuspecting regular tourists).
More recently, it has received very positive rave reviews for Warner Bros.’ Supergirl (“The best blockbuster of the summer!”) was met with strong skepticism in some corners of the Internet. The film’s official critic reviews were more negative, with the film averaging 59 percent on Rotten Tomatoes.
Universal previously had influential shows for Disclosure daywhich was very positive. One widely circulated blurb – “Spielberg’s best film in 20 years” – was pulled slightly by the film’s critics, and was pointed out in some critical reviews.
It’s too early to say whether movie influencers are losing their influence. But if Universal decides to skip such shows Odyssey If it gets enough attention, other studios could more frequently embrace the move as a confident flexibility — while studios that opt for these preview screenings may start to be seen more broadly as trying to hide the ball.
Odyssey Lands is in theaters July 17. The film tells the story of the long, torturous and surreal journey of the Greek hero Odysseus home after the Trojan War, returning to the kingdom of Ithaca to rescue his wife and son. The film stars Matt Damon in the lead role, and also features Odysseus’ son, Telemachus (Tom Holland); Odysseus’s wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway); the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron); The weeping Penelope is addressed by Antoninus (Robert Pattinson), who seeks to marry the queen and become ruler of Ithaca. The film also features Odysseus’ servant Eumaeus (John Leguizamo) and Jon Bernthal as Menelaus, the Greek king of Sparta and brother of Agamemnon.
