"The Odyssey" surpasses $1 billion in record three weeks

The Odyssey has surpassed $1 billion in global box office revenue within just three weeks of release, marking one of the fastest climbs to the milestone in recent years.

The film, directed by Christopher Nolan and starring Matt Damon as the Greek king Odysseus, has generated $429.65 million in domestic ticket sales and $578.8 million internationally, bringing its worldwide total to $1.008 billion.

It is Nolan’s first film since The Dark Knight Rises to cross the billion-dollar threshold. The Odyssey is also expected to become the highest-grossing film of his career in the coming days, surpassing both The Dark Knight Rises ($1.08 billion) and The Dark Knight ($1.008 billion).

The film’s performance is considered particularly notable given its profile as an adult-oriented, nearly three-hour historical drama adapted from an ancient epic poem dating back almost 3,000 years.

Premium large-format screenings have played a significant role in its success. IMAX alone has contributed approximately $257 million in ticket sales, and The Odyssey is expected to become the highest-grossing IMAX release of all time by the end of the weekend.

The film reached the $1 billion mark ahead of its release in China, the world’s second-largest theatrical market. It is scheduled to open there on August 14, with distribution across nearly 800 IMAX screens and thousands of standard cinemas.

Strong word-of-mouth and sustained demand for premium viewing formats are expected to support continued box office momentum through the summer and into the autumn.

The industry is also looking to The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day to help lift North American box office revenues above $4 billion for only the second time since the COVID-19 pandemic. The previous instance occurred in 2023, driven in part by Nolan’s Oppenheimer, which earned $975 million globally, and Greta Gerwig’s Barbie.

The Odyssey is the fifth film of 2026 to surpass $1 billion worldwide, joining Spider-Man: Brand New Day ($1.18 billion and rising), Toy Story 5 ($1.067 billion), The Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($1.001 billion) and Michael ($1.001 billion).

At the midpoint of the year, 2026 has already produced the highest number of billion-dollar releases since the pandemic disrupted global cinema. The record remains 2019, when nine films crossed the milestone. Since then, no year has exceeded three billion-dollar titles.

By Tamilla Hasanova