As Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey dominates cinemas from London to Warsaw, cybersecurity researchers have uncovered a darker side to the film's popularity: pirated copies circulating online are laced with malware designed to plunder personal data.
Bitdefender, the multinational security firm with significant European operations, reported that within days of the film's release, attackers began distributing fake downloads disguised as the movie. These files, often hosted on torrent sites and illegal streaming portals, contain a strain of malware known as Lumma Stealer.
“Internal Bitdefender insights show that users have already tried to download malicious executables disguised as the movie,” the company said in a statement. The firm identified several lure file names, including the odyssey 2160phd (2026) engsubs eztv.exe and the odyssey 2026 1080p webrip-lama.exe, which are actually Windows executables rather than video files.
A familiar tactic with a new blockbuster
This is not an isolated incident. In 2025, researchers documented a nearly identical campaign using fake downloads of Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning to spread the same malware. “The latest campaign simply replaces one blockbuster with another. Rather than inventing new attacks, criminals continually recycle successful delivery methods around whatever film is dominating search engines and torrent sites,” the Bitdefender report noted.
The timing is no accident. With The Odyssey still in theaters—IMAX screenings are sold out weeks ahead in many European cities—and no legal streaming release yet, fans eager to watch it for free become easy targets. Hackers exploit this gap between theatrical release and digital availability, a window that can last months.
Lumma Stealer, believed to have been developed in Russia, is a sophisticated piece of malicious software. Once a user opens the fake file, it can harvest saved login credentials, payment card details, session cookies, browsing history, and even files stored locally on the device. It can also compromise remote access tools and communication apps, giving attackers a foothold into a victim's digital life.
“By accessing such a vast range of data and tools, attackers can gain significant entry and control not only over a user's device, but also their finances and wider relationships,” the company warned.
The threat extends beyond The Odyssey. Torrent trackers are rife with similar malware disguised as popular TV shows, cracked games, and software. Users may be less vigilant about checking file types and names on these sites, since they already expect unusual file names due to the illegal nature of the content.
For European viewers, the risk is particularly acute given the continent's high rates of digital piracy in some member states. A 2023 EU Intellectual Property Office report found that 14% of Europeans admit to accessing pirated content, with figures higher among younger demographics.
Bitdefender advises consumers to avoid downloading movies from unofficial sources altogether. If they must, they should check file extensions—video files are typically .mp4, .mkv, or .avi, not .exe—and use reputable antivirus software. The company also notes that the list of malicious file names is not exhaustive, and criminals are likely using many other variations.
As The Odyssey continues its theatrical run, the message from cybersecurity experts is clear: the temptation of a free download could cost far more than a cinema ticket. For those who cannot wait, the safest option remains a legal streaming service once the film becomes available—or a trip to the nearest IMAX, where the epic is best experienced anyway.
