Christopher Nolan's latest epic, The Odyssey, has stormed the global box office with a record-breaking $264.1 million (£196 million) worldwide opening weekend, surpassing the $249 million debut of 2012's The Dark Knight Rises. The film, based on Homer's ancient Greek poem, earned $139.6 million internationally across 73 territories and 25,600 screens, marking Nolan's largest international opening to date.
Box Office Milestones
The Odyssey outperformed previous Nolan releases including The Dark Knight Rises and Oppenheimer (2023) in overseas markets. It became Nolan's biggest opener in 48 countries, including France, Italy, Brazil, and India, and ranked as the second-best R-rated movie debut abroad after Deadpool & Wolverine (2024). Universal Pictures reported the film as its largest-ever opening in 11 markets.
Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, Universal's president of distribution, said: 'With The Odyssey, we had the extraordinary opportunity to unite moviegoers worldwide around a story that has resonated across cultures for centuries. Christopher Nolan's passion, vision and unique cinematic voice consistently drive anticipation and attendance on a truly global scale. He, alongside the force that is Emma Thomas, continues to set the standard for ambitious, event filmmaking.'
Financial Success Amid Controversy
The film's $250 million production budget and $125 million marketing costs have already been recouped, thanks to the strong opening. The Odyssey features a star-studded cast including Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, and Charlize Theron. It is the first movie shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film cameras.
Critics have praised the film, with The Daily Telegraph calling it a 'fearsome and trailblazing machine of a movie', The Independent hailing it as a 'blockbuster of literally unprecedented scale', and The New York Times commending Nolan for 'turning a 3,000-year-old poem into a smart, thoughtful film with Old Hollywood allure'. In Metro's five-star review, Tori Brazier wrote: 'Nolan manages to reassert both the humanity and brutality of this story to bring something truly timeless to the big screen.'
Online Backlash and Review Bombing
Despite critical acclaim, The Odyssey has faced review bombing on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes, where it holds a 95% fresh score but 13.9% of users gave it the lowest rating, compared to 37% perfect scores. The backlash stems from casting choices, particularly Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy. Critics online, including Elon Musk, accused Nolan of disrespecting Homer's work by casting a Black actress in the role. Nyong'o responded to Elle: 'This is a mythological story. I'm very supportive of Chris' intention with it and with the version of this story that he is telling. Our cast is representative of the world.'
Additionally, Elliot Page's casting as the Greek soldier Sinon drew transphobic comments. Nolan defended Page, telling Rolling Stone: 'We worked on Inception some years ago. I felt with his character in The Odyssey, he brings something really special to it. You're looking to put a face on the tragedy of war. And I think he did an incredible job.'
The Odyssey is now playing in cinemas worldwide.
