I think the US$100,000-winning Grok Imagine Odyssey footage is proof that Hollywood shouldn’t feel threatened by genAI just yet

Still from Nem Perez's Odyssey created using genAI platform Grok AI showing Odysseus on a beach — (Image credit: Grok Imagine / Nem Perez)

Back in July, I reported on Elon Musk’s post on X (formerly Twitter) claiming that Grok AI would make a “historically accurate” Odyssey film before the end of 2026. This was accompanied by an AI-generated trailer with a few visible anomalies, to say the least, the most egregious being what appeared to be Odysseus wearing a pair of foam earplugs.

But, credit where credit is due, this was never intended to be the finished film. Cue an article by Futurism, titled “The Winner of Elon Musk’s AI Odyssey Contest Will Make You Laugh Out Loud”.

It turns out that Grok Imagine put together a contest with a $100,000 (approximately £75,000 / AU$140,000) prize for the best depiction of The Odyssey created using the AI platform, stating: “The contest showcased the power of Grok Imagine for creating realistic, captivating scenes that belong on the big screen.”

This is "The Odyssey" as Homer intended. My longest, most intricate work to date. I pushed @grok @imagine to its absolute limits to create this 5-minute epic. What bothered me most about the recent adaptation was the omission of the Phaeacians and Princess Nausicaa, whom Odysseus told his story to in the original poem. I focused my rendition on the introduction to Nausicaa and his love for his family. The motive driving him was the memory he kept for so long, even when his journey tried to make him forget. As a husband and new father, that's something I felt deeply. I challenged myself to try to fit everything I could from the source material and used GROK for research. Hope you enjoy. Workflow and process coming soon. I'm working on a deep dive showing how I used @grok for research, scripting, and prompting. I used @imagine to animate and visualize every shot and bring this to life. Share it if you dig it! @elonmuskAugust 31, 2026

You can see the winning entry by Nem Perez (above). Perez explained on X how the Phaeacians and Princess Nausicaa were absent from Nolan’s epic, calling the five minutes of Grok Imagine AI footage “My longest, most intricate work to date,” and that the AI platform was pushed “to its absolute limits”.

I'm not a fan of AI-generated content and instead much prefer traditional filmmaking. Heck, last night I saw Raiders of the Lost Ark in the theater. But from the establishing shot of a stormy sea and a title sequence where Odysseus is washed up on the shore (see main image), I don't doubt that Perez's video conveys the power of genAI platforms like Grok Imagine.

But the footage also highlights the hypocrisy of the level of criticism that some have directed at Nolan’s Odyssey.

The Futurism article has already pointed out the many inconsistencies, including that the cyclops clearly has three eyes. I’m not here to do a frame-by-frame analysis of the winning entry, but I didn't agree with Perez's comment: “This is The Odyssey as Homer intended”. Surely the Odyssey that Homer intended is what the Greek poet immortalized in writing.

Still from Nem Perez's Odyssey created using genAI platform Grok AI, showing the Cyclops — A still from Nem Perez's The Odyssey, created in Grok Imagine. The Cyclops appears to have three eyes (Image credit: Grok Imagine / Nem Perez)

I think we have to take care that we’re not overly critical of film adaptations. After all, literature and film are two very different forms of media. Blade Runner is a fine example of a film that took huge liberties in the adaptation of its source material, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?, and I personally think it was all the better for it.

And yet, this competition never intended to turn out a full-length movie – and the year still isn’t out, so there’s still time for Grok AI to produce something special.

That said, I can’t say I’m waiting for a feature-length AI Odyssey with bated breath. If it’s a faithful adaptation that you’re looking for, surely nothing can be better than picking up a respected adaptation of the text. And if you’re looking for a solid movie adaptation with beautiful cinematography and great performances, I highly recommend Nolan’s Odyssey.

We live in a world where Nolan’s brand of filmmaking is getting fewer and farther between. As a self-confessed film buff and supporter of physical moviemaking, I would implore anyone who loves cinema to support and savor these experiences.

In my mind, AI-generated content will never compete with traditional filmmaking, just like AI-generated content will never compete with traditional photography. I will always support retaining the human element.

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Mike studied photography at college, honing his Adobe Photoshop skills and learning to work in the studio and darkroom. After a few years writing for various publications, he headed to the ‘Big Smoke’ to work on Wex Photo Video’s award-winning content team, before transitioning back to print as Technique Editor (later Deputy Editor) on N-Photo: The Nikon Magazine.

With bylines in Digital Camera, PhotoPlus: The Canon Magazine, Practical Photography, Digital Photographer, iMore, and TechRadar, he’s a fountain of photography and consumer tech knowledge, making him a top tutor for techniques on cameras, lenses, tripods, filters, and more. His expertise extends to everything from portraits and landscapes to abstracts and architecture to wildlife and, yes, fast things going around race tracks...