The Odyssey Becomes Christopher Nolan’s Highest-Grossing Movie Ever at $1.1 Billion

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Christopher Nolan’s star-studded epic “The Odyssey” has pulled in over $1.1 billion globally, officially making it the director’s highest-grossing film of all time according to box office data reported by Variety. The sword-and-sandal adventure overtook 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises,” which grossed $1.08 billion not adjusted for inflation.

The Universal Pictures release achieved the milestone during its fourth weekend in theaters, bringing in $461 million domestically and $643 million internationally. According to Variety, the film collected $110 million globally over the weekend, including $79 million overseas and $31.5 million domestically, well ahead of its upcoming August 14 release in China.

“The Odyssey” stands as the second-highest-grossing R-rated release of all time, trailing only 2024’s “Deadpool and Wolverine” at $1.3 billion, and ranks as the second-biggest movie of the year behind “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” at $1.67 billion, as reported by Variety.

Box Office Records and IMAX Milestones

The film set a record as IMAX’s highest-grossing release of all time, pulling in $289 million and overtaking 2009’s “Avatar” at $271 million, according to Variety. Star Matt Damon leads the adaptation as the Greek king Odysseus in what is noted as the first feature film shot entirely using IMAX cameras.

“A singular filmmaker with the international following of Christopher Nolan is uniquely fit to adapt Homer’s ancient poem, which is one of the most influential and well-known stories in the world,” said Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, Universal’s president of international distribution, in statements reported by Variety.

Domestic ticket sales reached $147.3 million in IMAX formats, while international markets accounted for $141.8 million prior to the film’s launch in China. IMAX 70mm formats contributed $37.5 million from 41 global locations, accounting for 14% of the company’s total grosses, with many screenings sold out through September, according to Variety.

Global Opening Weekend Performance

In North America, “The Odyssey” opened to $124.5 million in the U.S. and Canada, outperforming studio expectations of a $117 million domestic opening, according to the Los Angeles Times. The debut set a record for the highest-grossing opening weekend for a live-action or R-rated film for the year.

The opening placed the film as the third-highest domestic debut of the year, behind Disney and Pixar’s “Toy Story 5” at $159.7 million and Universal, Illumination, and Nintendo’s “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” at $131.7 million, as reported by the Los Angeles Times. Worldwide, the film launched with $264.1 million, marking the biggest global opening ever for a Nolan film.

“It delivers on every sort of promise,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution, to the Los Angeles Times. “It is totally immersive. It is great emotional storytelling. It is something that truly has to be experienced on the big screen.”

Production and Practical Effects

Produced by Christopher Nolan and his wife and producing partner Emma Thomas under their Syncopy banner, the nearly three-hour epic carried a production budget between $200 million and $250 million, according to the Los Angeles Times. The production relied heavily on practical effects, utilizing puppetry, animatronics, and robotics for scenes featuring the Cyclops, alongside a physical Viking boat that the cast learned to sail.

The collaboration with IMAX required months of technical development, including designing a quieter and lighter camera, streamlining film reloads, and training projectionists before cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema completed testing in late 2024, as detailed by the Los Angeles Times.

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