Nolan's Odyssey Opens $124.5M Domestic, $264.1M Worldwide

Christopher Nolan's epic historical adventure "The Odyssey" has stormed the global box office, delivering a monumental $264.1 million worldwide debut over the weekend of July 17-19, 2026. The film, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, earned $124.5 million from North American theaters, marking the third-largest opening of the year and Nolan's biggest global launch ever.

The R-rated adaptation of Homer's ancient poem, which carries a reported $250 million production budget, far exceeded industry projections that had estimated a $90-$100 million domestic opening. Its global total of $264.1 million surpasses the opening weekends of Nolan's previous blockbusters "The Dark Knight Rises" ($249 million) and "Oppenheimer" ($180 million). The debut also represents the largest live-action opening of 2026 and the second-largest for an R-rated film, trailing only 2024's "Deadpool & Wolverine."

Audiences and critics have embraced the nearly three-hour film, which features an ensemble cast including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, and Zendaya. It holds a 95% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes and received an "A" grade from CinemaScore exit polls, indicating strong word-of-mouth that could fuel a long...