Christopher Nolan’s latest film, ‘The Odyssey’, has made a strong start at the global box office, earning an estimated US$257.8 million worldwide in its opening weekend. The figure marks the filmmaker’s biggest global debut to date, surpassing the previous record held by ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, which opened with US$249 million worldwide.
The epic adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek poem brought in US$120.5 million in North America, making it the biggest live-action opening of 2026 so far, according to Deadline. Internationally, the film is projected to add around US$137.3 million across 73 markets, including the UK, France, Australia, Germany, Mexico and Brazil.
The opening also places ‘The Odyssey’ among the year’s biggest global launches. It currently ranks behind ‘The Super Mario Galaxy Movie’ and ‘Toy Story 5’ in overall worldwide debuts, but leads among live-action releases.
The film’s international performance has also set new milestones for Nolan. According to box office reports, ‘The Odyssey’ recorded the director’s biggest opening day in several territories, including France, Italy, Spain, Poland, the Netherlands and Brazil. It also became Universal’s biggest opening in 11 markets.
The strong results continue Nolan’s track record with large-scale theatrical releases. His previous films, including ‘Oppenheimer’, ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘The Dark Knight Rises’, have all performed strongly at the global box office. Still, ‘The Odyssey’ has now moved ahead of them in opening weekend numbers.
The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Jon Bernthal and Charlize Theron. It follows the Greek hero’s journey home after the Trojan War, adapting one of literature’s most recognised works for the big screen.
The release has also benefited from strong interest in premium formats, including IMAX, 70mm and 35mm screenings, with the film opening across thousands of international locations.
With its opening weekend results, ‘The Odyssey’ has given Nolan his biggest worldwide debut yet and placed the film among the most successful theatrical launches of 2026.
