NEW YORK (AP) — Director Christopher Nolan has done it again. His ambitious film adaptation of Homer’s ancient epic poem, “The Odyssey,” opened to an estimated $124.5 million in U.S. ticket sales and an additional $139.6 million from international markets, making it a stronger debut than his Oscar-winning “Oppenheimer” and his best opening weekend since “The Dark Knight Rises” in 2012.
Nolan demonstrated once again that his name alone is a box-office force. While most modern Hollywood hits rely on established franchises and intellectual property, Nolan transformed one of the oldest stories in literary history into a summer blockbuster sensation.
The film, produced by Universal, came with considerable financial risk. Its production budget reached $250 million, placing it among the priciest R-rated films ever made, with Universal spending an additional $125 million on marketing. That investment came on the heels of “Oppenheimer,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2023.
Demand for “The Odyssey” was extraordinary, particularly for IMAX screenings. Tickets for some 70 mm IMAX showings went on sale a full year before the film’s release. To keep up with demand, some theaters even added midnight and 3 a.m. screenings — and those sold out too. The film is the first Nolan feature shot entirely with IMAX cameras.
The IMAX format drove a significant portion of ticket sales, generating $29.6 million domestically and $51.8 million globally — the company’s best single weekend ever. IMAX has reserved its screens exclusively for “The Odyssey” for three weeks. Of the 41 IMAX locations capable of projecting the film in 70 mm, those screens alone accounted for $6.3 million in ticket sales.
Nolan has been a key figure in bringing audiences back to movie theaters since the pandemic. His film “Tenet” was among the first major releases to return to theaters in 2020. Then in 2023, “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” together created what many consider the defining moviegoing moment of the decade. “Oppenheimer” went on to earn $975 million worldwide.
“The Odyssey” arrives during what is shaping up to be Hollywood’s strongest summer since 2019. According to Rentrak, ticket sales are running roughly 10% ahead of last year’s pace. The industry is anticipating its first $10 billion domestic year since before the pandemic.
One lingering question is whether the film’s opening will prove front-loaded, since many fans had this weekend marked on their calendars for months. The film faced no new competition this weekend and won’t next weekend either. IMAX reported that presales for the second weekend are already ranking among their top 10 all-time, suggesting many viewers are simply waiting to see the film in their preferred format.
The next significant competition for “The Odyssey” will come from Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” set for release July 31 — a film that also happens to star two members of “The Odyssey” cast, Tom Holland and Zendaya.
The film features Matt Damon in the lead role as Odysseus, with Tom Holland playing his son Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Zendaya as the goddess Athena, Robert Pattinson as the suitor Antinous, and Charlize Theron as the sea nymph Calypso.
Nolan’s casting choices drew some controversy, particularly his selection of Lupita Nyong’o as Helen and Elliot Page as a soldier, which prompted criticism from some conservative commentators. Elon Musk publicly called Nolan a “coward” over Nyong’o’s casting.
Despite that backlash, the film has become one of the year’s biggest cultural moments at the cinema. Critics have responded enthusiastically, giving it a 95% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and audiences awarded it an “A” CinemaScore.
