The Odyssey beats Oppenheimer with director’s biggest opening weekend

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is showing no signs of slowing down at the global box office. The epic action-adventure has earned an estimated $346 million worldwide in its first week, making it Christopher Nolan's biggest box office opening ever and one of the highest-grossing films of 2026.According to The Week, the film has matched the first-week worldwide collections of some of Hollywood's biggest blockbusters. Unlike franchise titles that rely heavily on opening weekend hype, The Odyssey has continued to gain momentum through strong word of mouth.Made on a reported $250 million budget, the adaptation of Homer's epic poem recovered its production cost within just three days of release.The Odyssey outpaces OppenheimerThe film collected $124.5 million during its opening weekend in North America from 3,919 theatres, while international markets contributed $139.6 million in the first three days across 73 territories.According to Deadline, The Odyssey added another $18.05 million domestically on Wednesday, taking its six-day North American total to $181.6 million.At the same point in its theatrical run, the film is running 54% ahead of Oppenheimer, whose six-day domestic total stood at $117.8 million before eventually finishing with $330 million in North America.Record-breaking run in IndiaChristopher Nolan's latest film has also enjoyed a phenomenal run in India.By the end of its first week, The Odyssey had earned an estimated Rs 90.30 crore net (Rs 107.72 crore gross). It also became the highest-grossing IMAX opening in Indian box office history, surpassing Tom Cruise's Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning.Strong second weekend expectedWith a $264.1 million worldwide opening weekend, The Odyssey has already surpassed the openings of The Dark Knight Rises ($249 million) and Oppenheimer ($180 million), giving Nolan the biggest debut of his career.The film also became the biggest live-action opening of 2026 and only the second movie ever to generate more than $50 million from IMAX screens worldwide in a single weekend.With no major studio releases competing this weekend and the film retaining all its IMAX and premium large-format screens, trade analysts expect The Odyssey to collect between $61 million and $74 million in its second weekend, extending its remarkable box office run.Give your child the gift of confidence! Claim your exclusive TOI Masterclass spot today!