Universal’s 8,800-Pound Trojan Horse Debuts in London — SkimNews
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- Universal commissioned a 36-foot-tall, 8,800-pound Trojan Horse replica for the London premiere of 'The Odyssey,' constructed using the film’s actual blueprints and materials including polystyrene, steel, and fibreglass.
- Universal Pictures International UK & Eire oversaw the build, which involved 34 workers spending 288 hours to assemble the horse from four parts transported by three trucks over nine hours.
- The Trojan Horse will be reassembled in Trafalgar Square on July 13 and displayed outside Westfield London from July 16, remaining in the U.K. for promotional events.
- Two additional full-scale horses are in the U.S., one on display at Universal Studios’ CityWalk and another touring cities including Venice, Texas, Miami, and New York ahead of the U.S. premiere.
- The Odyssey premiere in London drew nearly the full cast, including Matt Damon, Zendaya, and Christopher Nolan, though the prop became the dominant visual focus of the event.
Why it matters: Universal’s investment in multiple full-scale, film-accurate Trojan Horses across two countries signals an unusually high-stakes physical marketing push, where the promotional props themselves may rival the film’s stars in public attention and social media reach—especially with a single popcorn bucket already generating online buzz.
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