Actor Colman Domingo used his stint guest-hosting "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" this week to publicly mock Elon Musk's plans to produce an AI-generated version of "The Odyssey," pushing back directly on Musk's claim that the project would be "historically accurate." The exchange is the latest chapter in a months-long standoff between Musk and Christopher Nolan's recently released big-screen adaptation of the same ancient Greek epic.
What Musk Actually Announced
Earlier this week, Musk posted on X that his AI tool, Grok Imagine, would produce a full-length film version of "The Odyssey" before the end of the year, describing it as "historically accurate and true to the art of Homer." He shared a three-minute AI-generated clip based on the poem alongside the announcement. When another user suggested giving director Mel Gibson $100 million to make a historically accurate version featuring period-correct ships, weapons, and armor, Musk replied that he was open to it.
This wasn't a standalone announcement. Musk has spent months publicly attacking Nolan's theatrical adaptation of "The Odyssey," repeatedly framing his objections around the film's casting. He specifically criticized Nolan's decision to cast Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra and Elliot Page in a supporting role, at one point accusing Nolan of losing his integrity and calling the casting choices an insult to Homer. Musk's AI project announcement arrived only after Nolan's film had already opened to strong reviews and box office numbers, positioning the AI version as a direct alternative.
Domingo's Response on Kimmel
Domingo used his Wednesday night monologue to go after the entire premise of Musk's project, arguing that calling any adaptation of "The Odyssey" historically accurate misses the point of what the poem actually is. He made the case, bluntly, that a story built entirely around gods, monsters, and invented events can't reasonably be labeled a historical account in the first place, comparing it to calling "The Hunger Games" a documentary.
He didn't stop at the historical-accuracy argument. Domingo directly connected Musk's complaints to the diverse casting in Nolan's film, suggesting that Musk's real objection was never really about history at all. He punctuated the bit with a pointed joke about what an "accurate" Musk-approved version would look like in terms of its cast, drawing laughs from the studio audience before pivoting to close the segment with a lighter, joking suggestion that Musk simply needs more to do.
Domingo Isn't the Only One Pushing Back
The Kimmel monologue wasn't an isolated reaction. Earlier in the week, director Scott Derrickson also responded to Musk directly on X, bluntly telling him he didn't understand filmmaking and suggesting he'd stopped keeping up with cinema years ago. Combined with Domingo's monologue, the pushback suggests Musk's monthslong campaign against Nolan's casting choices has drawn increasingly public frustration from people working inside the industry, not just from social media commentators.
What "The Odyssey" Actually Is
The disagreement hinges on a genre question more than a historical one. "The Odyssey," traditionally attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer and believed to have been composed around the 8th century BCE, follows Odysseus' long journey home after the Trojan War. Along the way, the story includes the Cyclops Polyphemus, the sorceress Circe, the Sirens, the sea monsters Scylla and Charybdis, and repeated interventions from the god Poseidon. Because the narrative is built around gods, monsters, and supernatural events rather than documented events, scholars classify it as mythology and epic poetry, not a historical record, which is the crux of Domingo's joke.
AI's Growing, and Controversial, Role in Filmmaking
The dispute also lands in the middle of a broader debate over AI's expanding role in Hollywood. Studios and technology companies are increasingly experimenting with AI tools across visual effects, animation, editing, voice work, and even full script and production planning. Supporters argue the technology can cut costs and unlock new creative possibilities, while critics, including many working actors and filmmakers, worry about job losses, originality, and whether AI-generated work can replace the judgment and craft of human storytellers. Musk's proposed project sits right at the center of that tension, an AI-driven alternative positioned explicitly against a traditionally produced, critically praised film.
The Ongoing Debate Over Adapting Classical Stories
Beyond the AI angle, the underlying disagreement over casting in adaptations of ancient texts is a familiar one in Hollywood. Directors regularly face scrutiny over how closely a retelling should hew to a traditional, often assumed-white visual interpretation of a mythological or historical figure, versus how much creative or contemporary latitude they should have in casting. Nolan's "Odyssey" adaptation has become the latest flashpoint in that recurring argument, with Musk's criticism of Nyong'o's and Page's casting following a pattern seen in past adaptations of classical and historical stories.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Colman Domingo criticize Elon Musk?
Domingo mocked Musk's plan to make an AI-generated, "historically accurate" version of "The Odyssey" during his guest-hosting stint on "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," arguing the term makes no sense for a work of mythology and suggesting Musk's real complaint was about Christopher Nolan's diverse casting choices.
What did Elon Musk actually announce?
Musk posted on X that his AI tool, Grok Imagine, would produce a full-length "historically accurate" version of "The Odyssey" before the end of the year, sharing an AI-generated clip based on the poem.
Is "The Odyssey" a historical document?
No. It's traditionally attributed to Homer and is considered an epic poem and work of mythology, filled with gods, monsters, and supernatural events rather than documented history.
Why has Musk criticized Christopher Nolan's film?
Musk has repeatedly objected to the casting of Lupita Nyong'o and Elliot Page in the film over several months, framing his objections as concerns about historical accuracy.
Has anyone else pushed back on Musk?
Yes. Director Scott Derrickson also publicly criticized Musk on X this week, separate from Domingo's on-air comments.
Conclusion
Colman Domingo's monologue turned a months-long, largely online dispute between Elon Musk and Christopher Nolan's "Odyssey" adaptation into a mainstream late-night talking point. By zeroing in on the contradiction in calling an AI-generated version of a mythological epic "historically accurate," Domingo added a prominent industry voice to a broader conversation already touching on AI's role in filmmaking, the politics of casting in classical adaptations, and how much creative license modern retellings should be allowed. Whether Musk's promised film ever materializes remains to be seen, but the reaction it's already generated suggests the debate isn't going away quietly.
Sparrow World News will continue to follow developments in entertainment, technology, and the intersection of artificial intelligence and filmmaking.