“The Odyssey” defied the gods odds in its opening weekend, delivering a sensational $124.5 million domestically and $264.1 million globally. After all, it’s highly unusual for a centuries-old poem that everyone was forced to read in school to be the basis of a popcorn movie.
Those mighty ticket sales are a testament to the appeal of director Christopher Nolan, who has become a box office brand unto himself through blockbusters like “Oppenheimer,” the “Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception” and “Interstellar.” With “The Odyssey,” he secured the biggest global debut of his career, surpassing the benchmark set by 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises” with $249 million, not adjusted for inflation. “The Odyssey” also ranks as the year’s third-largest domestic and worldwide opening following “Toy Story 5” ($159 million domestic, $312 million global) and “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” ($131 million domestic, $372 million global), two sequels in major film franchises.
“This is a Christopher Nolan tour-de-force,” says David A. Gross, who publishes the box office newsletter FranchiseRe. “Having directed 13 films, Nolan has become a unique and singular talent, with a loyal and enthusiastic following.”
An adaptation of Homer’s 3,000-year-old Greek epic, “The Odyssey” follows Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who endures a long and treacherous journey home after the Trojan War. Matt Damon leads the starry ensemble, which includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, John Leguizamo and Jon Bernthal. With stellar reviews, euphoric word-of-mouth and the full-blown frenzy around premium formats, “The Odyssey” is primed to enjoy an epic run in theaters. (That’s a relief, since Universal spent a staggering $250 million to produce the film.) Now that its grand voyage has begun, Variety unpacks five reasons “The Odyssey” scored in its opening weekend.
