Universal Warns After 'The Odyssey' Leak Draws 2.1 Million X Views

Q: Could the hunt for a pirated Odyssey stream expose fans to malware, scams, and fake downloads far more dangerous than the movie leak itself?

Yes. For many users, the search for a pirated copy of *The Odyssey* may be riskier than the leak itself. Cybersecurity researchers at Malwarebytes said scammers began exploiting demand for the film within hours of release. They found cloned piracy and torrent-style sites using fake browser alerts that claimed a “missing component” was needed to watch the movie. Clicking “Fix It Now” could send users through malvertising chains that lead to fake extensions, scareware, tech-support scams or malware. Researchers also found supposed *Odyssey* downloads that were not video files at all, but Windows executables disguised as movie files. One example used a title like a normal 1080p release, but ended in “.exe” and even carried a VLC-style icon to look harmless. Security experts said a real movie file should typically be an .mp4, .mkv or .avi, not a program. If a user runs one of those files, the payload can be far more damaging than watching a low-quality bootleg. Researchers warned such campaigns can deliver trojans, password-stealing infostealers, loaders for additional malware, and in some cases ransomware. The broader pattern is familiar: major releases attract not just pirates, but criminals who prey on people searching social media, torrent mirrors and fake streaming links. High view counts or many “seeders” do not prove a file is safe. The safest answer is simple: avoid pirated links entirely, do not click browser “fix” prompts, and never open a “movie” that ends in .exe.

3 articles · Updated · Los Angeles Times · Jul 26

A high-quality pirated copy of Christopher Nolan's “The Odyssey” racked up more than 2.1 million views on X before a takedown notice replaced it.
Universal said it immediately launched takedown protocols and would pursue remedies to protect its content and intellectual property rights; the account that posted the film was suspended within three hours.
The leak hit as the movie remained a major box-office draw, taking in $87 million in its second weekend after advance-ticket demand in June briefly crashed AMC's app.
That resilience follows a broader strong run for the film, which earlier reports said had already topped $600 million globally and helped lift a choppy summer box office.