Universal Pictures has seemingly made a strategic break from current Hollywood marketing norms for The Odyssey. The studio will bypass early word-of-mouth screenings for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic in favour of a direct critical rollout.

Why The Odyssey won’t have influencer screenings before release

The decision means that after The Odyssey’s global premiere on July 6 in London, the first audiences to see it will be professional film critics. This effectively sidelines the now-standard practice of inviting bloggers and influencers to early screenings to generate a wave of enthusiastic, pre-release buzz (via The Hollywood Reporter).

Universal’s move pushes against a trend that has reshaped blockbuster launches. Studios often host these advance viewings on a case-by-case basis, but for popcorn movies aiming for event status, they have become almost automatic. The logic is to flood platforms with positive mini-reviews before any formal critique can set the tone.

However, audiences are growing more alert to the mechanics behind these campaigns. A recent viral moment for The Mandalorian and Grogu saw Disney face immediate backlash when what appeared to be a spontaneous fan encounter with star Pedro Pascal at Disneyland was identified as a staged event featuring influencers.

Universal itself has recent experience with the double-edged nature of the tactic. For Steven Spielberg’s Disclosure Day, the studio held influencer screenings that yielded a particularly viral review, calling it “Spielberg’s best film in 20 years.” Critics of the film seized on the quote, and a handful of professional reviewers even referenced it in their own reviews as a benchmark of overstatement.

By launching The Odyssey straight to critics, Universal is taking a different route with Christopher Nolan’s retelling of Homer’s epic. The cast features Matt Damon as Odysseus, with Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, and Robert Pattinson among the ensemble, bringing the ancient journey home from the Trojan War to life.

The Odyssey releases in theaters on July 17.