entertainment
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” opened to an estimated $124.5 million in domestic ticket sales and another $139.6 million from overseas, which is even better than Oppenheimer’s first film.
This photo released by Universal Pictures shows Matt Damon as Odysseus, left, and Zendaya as Athena, in a scene from “The Odyssey.” (Melinda Sue Gordon/Universal Pictures via AP) AP
NEW YORK (AP) — Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has opened to an estimated $124.5 million in domestic ticket sales and another $139.6 million from overseas, a better debut than Oppenheimer’s and marking the director’s best opening since 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises.”
Nolan flexed his unique box office power with a global debut unlike any other. Few filmmakers alive have been able to pull off a great, big-budget adaptation of Homer’s epic poem. But in Hollywood, where intellectual property rights are most successful, Nolan pivoted One of the oldest literary works in the world In an unexpected summer movie.
The global production was no small gamble for Nolan, coming off of 2023’s Best Picture winner “Oppenheimer.” With a production budget of $250 million, the film is among the most expensive R-rated films ever. Universal is spending about $125 million to market it.
But there is no name behind the camera that attracts audiences more than Nolan. The hype around “The Odyssey” was so great that IMAX put tickets on sale for about 70mm of showtimes a full year in advance. To meet extraordinary demand for Nolan’s preferred format, IMAX 70mm, some theaters added midnight and 3 a.m. showings — and sold them out.
“It is extremely rewarding to see palpable excitement in theaters this weekend,” said Jim Orr, Universal’s president of domestic distribution. “Nolan has created an epic adventure. It’s on a scale that audiences have responded to very well.”
IMAX technology increases ticket sales
Billed as Nolan’s first feature film shot entirely on IMAX cameras, the format generated a significant slice of ticket sales. This included $29.6 million domestically on IMAX and $51.8 million worldwide, leading to the company’s best weekend ever. IMAX is devoting its entire screen to The Odyssey for three weeks. Although only 41 IMAX screens could show “The Odyssey” in 70mm, it generated $6.3 million in ticket sales.
“IMAX helped turn it not just into a blockbuster, but into a global cultural event,” said Rich Gelfond, IMAX CEO. “We have tickets on sale for the fifth week in some theaters and some are already sold out.”
Since the pandemic, Nolan has been at the forefront of reviving movie theaters. His film “Tenet” was one of the first big releases to return to theaters in 2020. Three years later, “Oppenheimer” and Greta Gerwig’s “Barbie” combined to create the defining film moment of the decade. Oppenheimer’s film eventually grossed $975 million worldwide.
“The Odyssey” hit theaters during Hollywood’s best summer since 2019. Ticket sales were up 10.4% compared to last year, according to Rentrak. The industry is anticipating its first $10 billion annually at the domestic box office since the pandemic.
Universal sees “The Odyssey” debuting in the fall
The only question for “The Odyssey” will be how front-loaded it is, given that many moviegoers have been circling this weekend for months. The film didn’t face any competition for a new release over the weekend, and it won’t next weekend either.
Gelfond said advance sales for the film’s second weekend will be among the top 10, evidence that many moviegoers are waiting to see the film in their preferred format. He said the 70mm IMAX showings are sold out over the next month, except for some front-row seats.
“Christopher Nolan and Tom Cruise are perhaps the most notable ambassadors for the big screen experience,” said Paul Dergarabedian, head of market trends at Rentrak. “Nolan is as much a star director as any movie star in front of the camera.”
The audience for “The Odyssey” was particularly male, making up 59% of tickets sold. But moviegoers were otherwise “ridiculously broad,” playing across demographics and geographies, Orr said.
“It’s a birth for a 17-year-old male, and it’s a birth for a 55-and-older female,” Orr said. “This indicates what I am convinced will be a very long and very successful journey not only through the rest of the summer but also into the fall as well.”
Ironically, the next movie to pose any competition is starring Tom Holland and Zendaya: Sony’s “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” on July 31.
The casting controversy has no obvious effect
“The Odyssey” stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, with Holland as his son Telemachus; Anne Hathaway as Penelope; Zendaya as Athena; Robert Pattinson as the suitor Antinous and Charlize Theron as the mermaid Calypso.
Nolan’s casting for “The Odyssey,” including Lupita Nyong’o as Helen and Elliot Page as a soldier, was controversial for some conservative commentators. Elon Musk described Nolan as a “coward” over Nyong’o’s choice.
But this criticism had little impact on “The Odyssey” becoming a cult film Cultural events on the big screen Of the year. The reviews (95% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes) are among the best of Nolan’s career. Audiences gave it an “A” CinemaScore rating.
PG-rated films followed in the wake of “The Odyssey.” “Moana”, produced by Walt Disney Company, came in second place by a large margin, earning $19 million in its third weekend. After a disappointing $43 million release, the remake fell 56% in its second weekend. Within two weeks, the film had collected $178 million worldwide, a poor result for a film that cost $250 million to produce.
“Moana” came in second place after Universal’s “Minions & Monsters” and Disney’s “Toy Story 5,” both of which earned about $15 million.
Top 10 films at the domestic box office
With final domestic numbers released Monday, this list takes into account estimated Friday-Sunday ticket sales at U.S. and Canadian theaters, according to Rentrak:
1. “The Odyssey,” $124.5 million.
2. “Moana” $19 million.
3. “Minions & Monsters,” $14.8 million.
4. Toy Story 5, $14.8 million.
5. “Evil Dead Burn,” $5 million.
6. “The Invit” with $3.9 million.
7- “Young Washington,” $3.7 million.
8. “Obsession” $2.5 million.
9. “Supergirl,” $1.5 million.
10. “Disclosure Day” $1.5 million.
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