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Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has made a spectacular start at the global box office, earning an estimated $264.1 million over the opening weekend. The epic
adaptation of Homer's legendary poem is now the biggest international debut of Nolan's career, outperforming the opening numbers of Oppenheimer and even his Batman movies. The film grossed $124.5 million in North America and another $139.6 million overseas, giving Universal Pictures one of its biggest openings in recent memory. Matt Damon stars in the lead role alongside Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, and John Leguizamo.
Nolan's biggest opening yet
The Odyssey opened to strong numbers, besting the director's previous worldwide opening record set by 2012's The Dark Knight Rises with an opening of $249 million. It also opened early, well ahead of Oppenheimer, which went on to become a billion-dollar awards season phenomenon after its $181 million global debut.
The Odyssey was made on a reported $250 million budget and is Nolan's first major release since the Oscar-winning success of Oppenheimer.
Good performance despite R-rating
What's even more interesting is the fact that the movie has been rated R, which means it has a smaller audience than a typical family blockbuster. Still, it was good enough for the third-best opening weekend of the year so far in North America, behind Toy Story 5 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie.
The film well outstripped early domestic forecasts for Universal, analysts said, highlighting Nolan's ascendant star power as a filmmaker whose name alone can draw in audiences.
IMAX boosts ticket sales
The premium large-format release has been one of the big reasons for the film's success. The Odyssey is the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX cameras, and it's meant to encourage people to see it in the premium screenings. The movie earned an estimated $51.8 million worldwide from IMAX alone, a new high for the format and more than previous releases in similar markets.
Many opening weekend screenings sold out in advance, and die-hard fans lined up for midnight and early morning shows at major IMAX venues.
International markets deliver
Outside of North America, the United Kingdom and Ireland topped the list with $17.4 million, followed by France and Italy. Universal said The Odyssey had the biggest opening weekend ever for Christopher Nolan in dozens of international markets.
The film is yet to open in many major markets, including China, Japan, and South Korea, meaning its worldwide earnings could still shoot up in the coming weeks.
Ambitious epic with strong reviews
The Odyssey is based on the ancient Greek epic of the same name, written by Homer, and follows Odysseus on his perilous journey home after the Trojan War.
Critical reception has also helped boost the film's commercial prospects, as many reviewers have cited The Odyssey as one of Christopher Nolan's best works. The premium format is likely to have a long life in theatres due to good word-of-mouth and strong demand.
