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In a sentence that would surely leave Homer dumbfounded, Odysseus has been Funko Pop-ed.
The epic Greek hero has been miniaturized into the popular collectible following the blockbuster release of “The Odyssey.” The 5-inch figurine showcases a bearded Odysseus, played by Matt Damon in the Christopher Nolan adaptation, clad in a warrior helmet, cloak and belt, sword in hand. The new collectible is now available to pre-order on the Funko website and Amazon.
Odysseus Funko Pop!
As of now, the titular character is the only one in the Greek epic to get the Funko treatment. But it’s very likely the pop-culture company will soon roll out versions for other major characters featured in the film, such as Telemachus (Tom Holland) Penelope (Anne Hathaway) Athena (Zendaya) and Helen of Troy (Lupita Nyong’o).
“The Odyssey” hasn’t spawned the same merch mania seen with other Warner Bros. titles such as “Barbie” and even “Wuthering Heights.” Aside from a Casetify collection of “inspired” products, the film has largely stayed away from major licensing partnerships — a relief for entertainment publicists, and disappointing for the few out there desperate for a Trojan horse mug or Athena-imprinted pillow (although you can surely find offerings of that sort on Etsy).
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Of course, the A-list packed film doesn’t need an Old Navy apparel capsule or Ithaca Lego set to help it ignite the box office. The film defied box office expectations over opening weekend, collecting $264.1 million worldwide. And the lucky margin that were able to catch it in IMAX at least got a popcorn bucket as a souvenir.
That said, the film’s success has created a surge in interest in audiobook versions of the film, while an official screenplay for Nolan’s adaptation, which just became available to pre-order, is already a bestseller on Amazon.
Brands would be smart to capitalize on the Odyssey obsession but for now fans will have to settle for a tried-and-true Funko.