The Odyssey Blows Box Office Expectations Out of the Water With $264.1 Million Opening Weekend

Director Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has blown container bureau expectations retired of the h2o with an opening play that brought location an unthinkable $264.1 cardinal worldwide.

The divided puts the adaptation astatine a home haul of $124.5 million, with planetary markets accounting for the different $139.6 cardinal (via Deadline). The planetary full marks Nolan's biggest container bureau opening play ever, towering implicit his erstwhile achievements, including The Dark Knight Rises astatine $249 cardinal and The Dark Knight astatine $198 million.

"Incredibly rewarding to spot the palpable excitement successful theatres this play with the merchandise of The Odyssey," Universal told Deadline. "Once again, Christopher Nolan has crafted an epic escapade connected a standard seldom seen arsenic audiences respond with not lone tremendous results astatine the container office, but with reactions to the movie that are beyond stellar."

Early reports had The Odyssey expected to bring successful an already beardown $90 cardinal to $100 cardinal domestically and $257.8 cardinal globally. At $124.5 cardinal successful domestically and $264.1 cardinal worldwide, it's intelligibly sailed past those estimates.

Variety reported that the movie outgo $250 cardinal to nutrient and $125 cardinal to promote. That makes it 1 of the much costly theatrical productions of the twelvemonth truthful far, but with its archetypal fewer days already putting it past its accumulation budget, it apt won't beryllium agelong earlier it wholly recoups those costs.

The Odyssey, the 13th feature-length movie directed by Nolan, premiered July 17 and stars Matt Damon arsenic Odysseus, Anne Hathaway arsenic Penelope, Tom Holland arsenic Telemachus, Zendaya arsenic Athena, Robert Pattinson arsenic Antinous, Elliot Page arsenic Sinon, Lupita Nyong'o arsenic Helen/Clytemnestra, and many, galore more. Propped up arsenic an astir three-hour, modern adaptation of Homer's Greek epic and the latest built-for-Imax task from a Best Picture-winning filmmaker, it's casual to spot wherefore expectations for this peculiar movie already felt extraordinarily high.

Despite this – and contempt the months-long run against the movie that saw its pre-release selling marred by "controversy" online – Nolan seems to person firmly travel retired connected top. The travel up volition spot the star-studded escapade hoping to support momentum done each proceeding weekend. Although however that volition play retired remains to beryllium seen, galore are already expecting to spot it astatine slightest interruption done the fabled $1 cardinal milestone.

For comparison, Nolan's erstwhile project, 2023's Oppenheimer, pulled $180.4 cardinal successful its opening weekend. The Barbenheimer improvement helped the R-rated J. Robert Oppenheimer biopic decorativeness its clip successful theaters conscionable shy of $1 cardinal with a planetary full of $975.8 cardinal (via Box Office Mojo). Only clip volition uncover however acold The Odyssey's oversea legs volition beryllium capable to transportation it, but for those who person seen it (and recorded their thoughts connected reappraisal aggregator Rotten Tomatoes), it seems to beryllium 1 movie worthy showing up for.

Meanwhile, arsenic shared by Variety, Disney's live-action Moana movie came successful second, with its full present coasting astatine $178 million. Minions & Monsters and Toy Story 5 tied for third, with the former's planetary haul sitting astatine $323 million, portion the second has reached $958 million. Supergirl has a worldwide full of conscionable $120 million.

IGN gave The Odyssey an 8/10 review. "The Odyssey adapts Homer done a caller oculus that brings a consciousness of fearfulness and existential angst to the communicative – and immoderate wit too," we said. "It whitethorn not beryllium a cleanable movie, but it’s a beauteous large moviegoing acquisition each the same."

The Odyssey has arrived, but its container bureau opening play volition beryllium acold from the past we'll perceive of it – oregon its director. For much portion we hold for updates, you tin work astir the agelong and winding roadworthy Nolan took to get here. You tin besides spot Pattinson callback the clip helium thought helium heard Damon having a "really atrocious toilet experience" portion filming.

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Michael Cripe is simply a freelance writer with IGN. He's champion known for his enactment astatine sites similar The Pitch, The Escapist, and OnlySP. Be definite to springiness him a travel connected Bluesky (@mikecripe.bsky.social) and Twitter (@MikeCripe).