When Christopher Nolan cast Travis Scott in The Odyssey, there was quite a bit of confusion. Some felt as though it didn't make much sense for Scott to be in an adaptation of Homer's epic poem. However, Nolan felt differently. In interviews, he spoke about bards, oral history, and how it is analogous to hip-hop.
“I cast him because I wanted to nod towards the idea that this story has been handed down as oral poetry, which is analogous to rap," Nolan told TIME.
This explanation certainly earned Nolan some credit. After all, Scott does play a Bard in the film, with his role being that of the person who recounts the story of the Trojan War to the suitors.
During an interview on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon, Scott revealed how even he was confused when Nolan decided to cast him.
Travis Scott Plays A Bard In The Odyssey
"[Christopher Nolan] is like 'I'm working on this movie… I want you to be in it.' And I'm like 'Woah, woah, wait— you know I make music?,'" Scott recounted.
Ultimately, Christopher Nolan remains one of the best directors in Hollywood. His films continue to be box office successes, with The Odyssey on pace to do $1 billion. He did over $250 million at the box office in the first weekend, which is truly spectacular.
Nolan continues to make event films. Movies that you have to go see, regardless of your feelings about him or his cast. Oppenheimer was a major success thanks to the Barbie double feature from 2023. Now, The Odyssey is proving that Nolan doesn't need a marketing machine to do big numbers.
Let us know if you have seen the film in the comments below.
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