Universal Boots Influencers From The Odyssey And What It Means For Critics

“Journalism is Fucked and We’re All Doomed” is my ongoing column looking at issues affecting entertainment journalism writers.

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Do I detect a shift in the space-time continuum? Might there actually be some positive news in this installment of "Journalism is F***ed and We're All Doomed?" I ain't planning on retiring the series just yet but critics gave a resounding cry of happiness on social media last week at the announcement that Universal would not be pre-screening Christopher Nolan's latest feature, The Odyssey, for influencers. Rather, any selected influencers would be watching the movie at the same time as critics after the movie has its global premiere on July 7.

Universal didn't specifically say who instigated the decree – and they didn't respond to my request for comment – with many assuming the move was at the behest of director Christopher Nolan, who has long championed the sanctity of films, including seeing movies in a theater and prioritizing large-screen formats like IMAX. Regardless of who demanded it, it's the first time a studio has clearly said influencers will be on the same footing as critics and, if anything, prioritizing critical voices over paid marketing.

The ongoing influencers vs. critics feud has simmering (and I've been documenting it) since last year. Critics, many of them struggling to go it on their own in the wake of massive corporate layoffs and a perceived lack of significance for criticism, have been attempting to conform to this new world order for awhile. Many are turning to video platforms like YouTube and TikTok – hi, I have a TikTok channel worth subscribing to – in order to transition their written work to a format that, presumably, people are actually engaging in. In the meantime, influencers are continuing to engage in consumerism masquerading as authenticity and branding.

As I said in a piece during CinemaCon in April, "There's a gulf starting to grow between journalists and influencers. Journalists are angry that they're losing opportunities and prominence. That the expectation is that they should put aside the tenets of their job like asking probing questions in order to play ball and retain access. And in a landscape where trust in media is fading fast, the belief that journalists are just influencers feels particularly demeaning. By the same token, influencers are starting to feel like the odd man out. Journalists at events don't like them, and no doubt there's gotta be audience pushback to the belief that they're not doing a 'real' job so they're trying to emphasize the truth and honesty of their opinions."

The question is why The Odyssey is choosing to take this stand against influencers? And what does it mean to criticism long-term?