Universal is rolling out the heavy hitters for Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey." The studio's official Oscar campaign begins in earnest the week of Nov. 9, with screenings and Q&As that put Nolan, producer Emma Thomas and star Matt Damon in front of voters nearly every night for two weeks, Variety reported.
Robert Downey Jr., who won the supporting actor Oscar for "Oppenheimer," will moderate the Los Angeles kickoff Nov. 11 at the TCL Chinese Theatre with an Imax 70mm screening. Guillermo del Toro will appear at the AMC Universal CityWalk session Nov. 12.
Before that, a Nov. 10 event at Universal's Spielberg Theater will feature an introduction by Nolan, followed by a Q&A with Thomas and department heads including editor Jennifer Lame, production designer Ruth De Jong and costume designer Ellen Mirojnick.
The strategy follows the "Oppenheimer" playbook of putting the filmmaker in the room and leaning on craft. That film, also a summer blockbuster, won seven Oscars, including best picture and director.
The timing is tight. The Academy's final submission deadline for general entry categories and best picture is Thursday, Nov. 12, the same week the campaign opens.
Source: Variety
