Los Angeles: Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation of Homer’s ‘The Odyssey’ has made a powerful box office debut, earning $264.1 million worldwide during its opening weekend, including $124.5 million from the United States and Canada, according to Universal Pictures.
The film stars Matt Damon as the legendary Greek hero Odysseus, following his dangerous journey home after the Trojan War. It marks Nolan’s first feature since the Oscar-winning ‘Oppenheimer’ (2023), which secured Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Director.
Universal’s President of Domestic Theatrical Distribution, Jim Orr, said that the audiences showed tremendous enthusiasm for the film, describing the excitement across cinemas as unmistakable. According to box office tracker Rentrak, The Odyssey topped both the domestic and global weekend box office, with around half of ticket buyers falling within the 18-to-34 age group.
Produced with a reported budget of $250 million, The Odyssey received an A CinemaScore from opening-night audiences and earned a 97 percent audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, reflecting a highly positive reception.
The opening ranks among the biggest of Nolan’s career. Adjusted for inflation, it stands as his third-largest global opening weekend, trailing only ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ (2012), which earned an inflation-adjusted $358.5 million, and ‘The Dark Knight’ (2008), which opened to an inflation-adjusted $304 million worldwide.
Premium large-format screenings played a significant role in the film’s success. In the U.S. and Canada, 50 percent of moviegoers chose enhanced viewing formats, with 23 percent opting for IMAX screenings.
Demand for IMAX tickets had been exceptionally strong long before the release. Advance ticket sales began a year ago at select IMAX theatres, prompting more than 50 cinemas across North America to add overnight screenings between midnight and 7 a.m. due to overwhelming demand.
IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond revealed that the company generated $50 million in advance ticket sales, setting a new presales record, and praised Nolan’s use of IMAX cameras and 70mm film, describing the production as ‘almost perfectly made.’
Based on the ancient Greek epic attributed to Homer, The Odyssey tells the story of Odysseus’ perilous return home, where he faces gods, monsters, violent storms, and personal tragedy. Scholars believe the poem was composed during the 7th or 8th century BC and was passed down orally before eventually being written.
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