Universal Pictures is reaping massive rewards from Christopher Nolan’s latest cinematic venture. The $250 mln historical drama «The Odyssey» has amassed a staggering $639.6 mln worldwide within a mere two weeks of its theatrical debut.
Matt Damon stars as the titular Greek monarch in this ancient epic. The nearly three-hour R-rated film has pulled in $284.4 mln across North America alongside an impressive $353.2 mln from foreign territories.
Demonstrating incredible staying power, the production suffered a minuscule 10% drop across 81 international markets this past weekend. That $128.3 mln haul represents the strongest sophomore retention rate ever recorded for a movie boasting an opening above $100 mln.
Dominating premium large formats
A significant portion of this commercial triumph stems from premium screens. Shot entirely using Imax technology, the sword-and-sandal adventure has already generated $140 mln through the large-format exhibitor. It reached the $100 mln Imax threshold in exactly 10 days, becoming the second-quickest release to achieve that feat behind only 2019’s «Avengers: Endgame.»
During its second frame, the feature claimed $38 mln globally on Imax screens to set a new sophomore weekend record for the corporation. Furthermore, the director’s favoured 70mm analogue projection accounted for $5.2 mln from a highly exclusive 41-screen footprint. These rare showings are largely booked out through September and have contributed $16.9 mln overall, representing roughly 12% of the entire Imax gross.
Richard Gelfond, chief executive of Imax, noted that the masterfully crafted picture is compelling loyal audiences to return for multiple viewings while simultaneously attracting newcomers to their premium theatres.
Closing in on the billion-dollar milestone
The feature’s commercial dominance is especially remarkable considering it has yet to premiere in lucrative Asian markets such as South Korea, Japan and China. Current leading international contributors feature the UK and Ireland earning $46.3 mln, followed closely by France at $31.8 mln. Italy, Australia and Germany round out the top five with takings of $28.8 mln, $20.6 mln and $20.4 mln respectively.
Industry analysts firmly expect Nolan’s adaptation to eventually cross the $1 bn mark. It will likely join a highly exclusive 2026 club currently occupied by Disney’s «Toy Story 5,» which leads the pack at $1.02 bn. «The Super Mario Galaxy Movie» and the biopic «Michael» sit just behind with $1.001 bn apiece. The highly anticipated «Spider-Man: Brand New Day» is also projected to reach this elite financial tier soon after its upcoming release.
