Elon Musk's X, the platform formerly known as Twitter, is far from perfect.
The site has the occasional glitch, too many grifters tweak its algorithms to line their pockets, and some search functions work when they want to work.
Still, the mega platform isn't censoring right-leaning views as it once did. It hasn't shadow-banned important news stories that didn't align with a progressive worldview.
Long story short, Musk made the platform better. He also struck a sizable blow on behalf of free speech, something for which the modern Left will never forgive him. It also created a cascade effect, combined with the rise of Trump 2.0. Would Mark Zuckerberg have scrapped his "fact checking" farce at Facebook had Musk not upgraded Twitter as he did?
Unlikely.
Now, Musk is flirting with another long-term project, one that could have a profound impact on Hollywood.
Musk essentially went to war with Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" in recent weeks. The tech billionaire shredded the film's "woke" casting decisions - namely Elliot Page as a warrior and Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy.
And, in true Musk fashion, he's thrown some sharp elbows along the way. Still, two new developments in Musk Land are worth noting.
One, he promised an A.I. version of "The Odyssey" will be available by year's end. That version, presumably, will be more historically accurate. Homer's epic poem is fiction, of course, but it's set in a specific time and place.
Billionaire Elon Musk suggested in posts on X he would either fund an alternative “Odyssey” movie with a more “historically accurate” take on ancient Greece or make his own with Grok, the latest in his ongoing crusade against the box office hit.
— Forbes (@Forbes) July 22, 2026
Read more: https://t.co/TFJDrTNESl… pic.twitter.com/l8oMIiKgUV
Comparing Nolan's masterly version with an A.I. model might not turn out the way he wants.
Another Musk suggestion holds far more promise. He said he'd give $100 million to actor/director Mel Gibson to make "The Odyssey" using Greek dialogue, sets, actors, and more. Gibson took that authentic approach for both his 2006 action film "Apocalypto" and his 2004 epic, "The Passion of the Christ."
Would Gibson even entertain the offer? He's busy prepping two "Passion" sequels as we speak, and he may have little interest in fulfilling Musk's wish list.
Musk's offer may have larger implications. What if he used his consequential wealth to fund other movies, the kind of stories Hollywood won't touch. Musk helped promote "Citizen Vigilante," a crude "Death Wish"-style story that showcased migrant crimes across Europe.
Could Musk fund similar projects, but ones created by far more talented filmmakers? Director Uwe Boll's "Vigilante" is as clunky and unpolished as many of his movies. What if Musk approached other right-leaning artists and offered to financially back their projects? Actor Nick Searcy has several scripts and ideas he'd love to direct, but getting the money to make them has proven difficult.
What about lesser-known artists who would love some Musk cash to tell their stories in a way Hollywood won't allow?
Hollywood would hate Musk even more if he let unwoke movies flood the marketplace. That might make the concept even more appealing to him.
