Universal Takes Down Leaked 'The Odyssey' From X
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- Universal activated takedown protocols after a high-quality bootleg of 'The Odyssey' leaked on X this weekend, reportedly drawing millions of views; the studio told Deadline it 'will pursue all appropriate remedies to protect our content and intellectual property rights,' and most copies were gone by Sunday morning.
- Some fans turned vigilante against would-be pirates by posting the film's opening Universal logo followed by a two-hour supercut of Rick Astley's 'Never Gonna Give You Up,' Rickrolling anyone seeking the leaked copy.
- The Odyssey posted Nolan's best-ever second weekend domestically with $87 million, with large-format performance notably resilient despite the bootleg's reach.
- Imax, PLFs, and 70MM drove 57% of the sophomore weekend gross — up from 53% the prior frame — as premium-format demand actually grew alongside the leak.
- Nolan shot the film entirely in Imax to optimize the moviegoing experience and has urged fans to see it in that format, making the large-format share especially pointed.
Why it matters: Universal's rapid takedown preserved the film's theatrical exclusivity through its crucial second frame, and the $87 million result — Nolan's best-ever sophomore weekend — shows the leak didn't dent demand. The fact that Imax and large-format share actually climbed to 57% suggests cinephiles prioritized the premium experience the bootleg couldn't replicate.
