Three months after Elon Musk declared that Grok would release a full-length, "historically accurate" movie version of "The Odyssey," xAI has published just seven minutes of footage. The company is calling it "Episode 1 of our Odyssey series," created with Grok Imagine in collaboration with Wonder Studios and director Dev Walker.
The release lands in the middle of an unexpected rivalry between Musk and filmmaker Christopher Nolan, whose own big-budget adaptation of "The Odyssey" hit theaters in July and became a major box-office success. Musk had previously criticized Nolan's version over its casting choices, while Nolan has described himself as "a techno-skeptic."
What Grok's AI Odyssey actually looks like
According to TechCrunch's review, the footage is better than expected — but far from cinematic. The publication noted that some individual shots could pass for real actors sailing a real sea, and that the video is noticeably more polished than other AI clips Musk has shared recently.
Beyond that, the reception is harsh. The review describes long stretches of medieval bearded faces delivering stiff dialogue, a British narrator voice that sounds lifted from any generic fantasy epic, and a backstory voiceover that seems to stretch on endlessly.
- Runtime: seven minutes, billed as Episode 1
- Made with Grok Imagine, in partnership with Wonder Studios and director Dev Walker
- Announced by Elon Musk roughly three months before release
- TechCrunch's verdict: technically adequate but lacking artistry, momentum or human interest
