'The Odyssey,' directed by Christopher Nolan, grossed approximately $264 million globally during its opening weekend from July 17 to 19, exceeding the $248 million record held by Nolan's "The Dark Knight Rises" [1, 2, 3, 4]. The film premiered simultaneously in the US and Taiwan on July 17, marking the start of its worldwide theatrical release [1, 2, 5].
North American ticket sales accounted for roughly $123.5 million to $124.5 million from about 3,919 theaters, with Friday alone generating $51 million, surpassing initial market expectations [6, 2, 3, 4]. Overseas markets contributed close to $140 million to the weekend total [6, 2, 3]. IMAX screenings were especially popular, accounting for 23% of the global box office with $51.8 million earned from IMAX worldwide [2, 3].
The film's production budget reached about $250 million, making it Nolan's most expensive project to date [1, 6, 2, 3, 5]. It was shot entirely using IMAX film cameras, a first for a feature film, and used over 640,000 meters of film stock [2, 3, 5]. Production took place across multiple challenging locations including Morocco, Greece, Italy, and Iceland [7, 5].
"If we were ever going to realize the dream of shooting a full film this way, this was the time to do it—because it is 'The Odyssey,'" Nolan said, reflecting on the technical ambition behind the film [4]. The movie runs nearly three hours, is rated R, and falls within the epic ancient adventure genre [1, 6, 2, 4, 8].
The cast features Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Zendaya as Athena, along with Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, and Elliot Page [1, 6, 2, 5, 9]. Damon joked about having to cover his tattoos during filming and hinted at some on-set rivalries [7, 9]. Nolan praised Zendaya's performance, calling her a "true movie star and an incredible actor" [9].
The film received a strong audience reception, earning a CinemaScore grade of A and a 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes. Critics' ratings began near 98% before stabilizing around 94-95% [1, 6, 2, 3, 8]. Some Greek scholars voiced concerns over omissions and alterations, such as the exclusion of gods Zeus and Poseidon, and the film's anti-war message was described as incoherent by translator Emily Wilson [10]. Despite controversies over casting and accents, the box office showed no ill effect [10, 8].
On Monday, July 20, "The Odyssey" earned $18.6 million in North America, the highest Monday gross by any film in 2026 so far [6]. Nolan announced plans to take at least a three-year break from directing after the immense physical demands of making the film [4].
