Christopher Nolan has once again proven his box office prowess with the release of ‘The Odyssey’, which recorded the director’s most impressive global debut to date, outpacing notable predecessors like The Dark Knight Rises and Oppenheimer.
Despite facing controversy over its inclusive casting choices, modernized dialogue, and an R rating, the film managed to secure the third-highest opening weekend of 2026. With a substantial $124.5 million earned domestically, ‘The Odyssey’ trails only behind Toy Story 5, which pulled in $159 million, and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, which opened to $131 million. This achievement is particularly notable given the film’s extensive three-hour runtime, which limits the number of theater showings, and the restrictions imposed by its rating.
A new milestone for Nolan’s international success
On the international front, ‘The Odyssey’ has emerged as the highest-grossing opening for the British filmmaker. The film amassed $139.6 million from overseas markets, bringing its worldwide total to an impressive $264.1 million. This surpasses the unadjusted global opening totals of Nolan’s earlier hits such as The Dark Knight Rises ($249 million), The Dark Knight ($198 million), and Oppenheimer ($180 million).