Christopher Nolan’s epic fantasy film The Odyssey has delivered the biggest global opening weekend of the acclaimed filmmaker’s career, grossing more than $264 million worldwide and surpassing the previous record set by The Dark Knight Rises.
Universal Pictures said the film earned $264.1 million globally, including $139.6 million from international markets, making it Nolan’s strongest overseas debut and the studio’s biggest opening in several countries.
Universal President of Distribution, Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, hailed the film’s global appeal, saying, “With The Odyssey, we had the extraordinary opportunity to unite moviegoers worldwide around a story that has resonated across cultures for centuries.”
The fantasy epic opened in 73 international markets, playing across more than 12,700 locations and 25,600 screens, while becoming Nolan’s biggest opening weekend in 48 countries, including France, Italy, India, Spain, Brazil, the Netherlands and Poland.
The film also recorded Universal’s biggest opening ever in 11 markets and emerged as the second-largest international opening for an R-rated film, trailing only Deadpool & Wolverine.
The United Kingdom led the international box office with $17.4 million, narrowly behind The Dark Knight Rises as Nolan’s second-biggest debut in his home market.
France generated $13.7 million, delivering Nolan’s biggest opening ever in the country, while Italy followed with $11.5 million, surpassing the lifetime earnings of both Dunkirk and Tenet after only one weekend.
Australia contributed $9.3 million, Germany $8.1 million, India $7.2 million, Mexico $7 million, and Brazil $4.8 million, with several markets setting new IMAX and 70mm opening-day records.
The film also dominated premium large-format screens, earning $51.8 million through IMAX, including $29.6 million in North America and $22.2 million internationally.
IMAX Chief Executive Officer Rich Gelfond described the film as among a rarified group of instant classic blockbusters in IMAX history that fully leverage our platform. Christopher Nolan summoned all his brilliance, imagination, and ambition to lead a world-class cast and crew in making this unforgettable film.”
Universal said the film’s rollout is far from complete, with major markets including South Korea, China and Japan still awaiting release.
The studio expects additional momentum as Nolan and members of the cast embark on promotional tours in Asia ahead of those openings.
The Odyssey has already become the highest live-action global opening of 2026, while ranking behind only The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Toy Story 5 among all worldwide openings this year.
Erizia Rubyjeana
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