Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' sails to record $17.6m in previews ahead of blockbuster debut

Industry analysts now expect the adaptation to earn between $80m and $100m in North America during its opening weekend

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has launched with a spectacular $17.6 million in Thursday preview screenings, setting a new benchmark for the director and positioning the epic for one of the biggest opening weekends of 2026.

The Universal Pictures release has already surpassed the preview earnings of Nolan's Oscar-winning Oppenheimer, which debuted with $10.5 million in previews in 2023 before going on to gross nearly $1 billion worldwide. The impressive start places The Odyssey among the strongest preview performances ever for an original, non-franchise film.

Industry analysts now expect the adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic to earn between $80 million and $100 million in North America during its opening weekend, with global ticket sales projected to exceed $200 million across more than 70 international markets.

The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus alongside Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron and Elliot Page. It marks Nolan's first feature since the Academy Award-winning Oppenheimer and is the first major motion picture shot entirely using IMAX film cameras.

Premium-format screenings have driven much of the early success. IMAX 70mm presentations sold out months in advance, while exhibitors reported exceptional demand for large-format screens, continuing a trend that began when tickets first went on sale a year before the film's release.

The record-breaking launch comes after overwhelmingly positive reviews, with critics praising Nolan's ambitious take on the Greek classic and calling it one of the filmmaker's most accomplished works to date.

Universal is hoping The Odyssey will provide another major boost to a thriving summer box office, following strong performances from films including Michael and The Devil Wears Prada 2. Cinema operators have hailed 2026 as one of the strongest years for theatrical exhibition since before the pandemic, with Nolan's latest epic expected to be one of the year's defining releases.

If the film performs in line with current projections, The Odyssey will deliver the biggest opening weekend of Nolan's career and further cement his reputation as one of the few filmmakers capable of turning an original, director-driven blockbuster into a global box office event.