'The Odyssey' stuns with $124.5 million opening weekend at the box office

Christopher Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' opens to $124.5 million domestically and $264.1 million worldwide

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has delivered one of the biggest box office openings of 2026, debuting with an estimated $124.5 million from 3,919 domestic theaters during its opening weekend.

The R-rated action epic exceeded expectations and became the third-biggest opening of the year behind Toy Story 5 and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. It also marks Nolan’s strongest domestic debut since The Dark Knight Rises in 2012.

Internationally, The Odyssey earned $139.6 million from 73 markets, bringing its worldwide opening total to $264.1 million. According to box office figures, this is Nolan’s largest global opening, surpassing Oppenheimer, The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises.

Based on Homer’s ancient epic poem, the film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and follows his perilous journey home after the Trojan War. The ensemble cast also includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Charlize Theron and Elliot Page.

The film received strong early reception, earning an A CinemaScore from audiences and a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes. Premium large formats played a major role in the launch, with IMAX screenings contributing a significant share of ticket sales.

Universal reportedly spent approximately $250 million to produce the film, with an additional estimated $125 million allocated for global marketing. With strong word of mouth and limited major competition until the end of July, The Odyssey is expected to continue its theatrical run strongly.