“The Odyssey,” Christopher Nolan’s new film, has made a strong debut at the top of the international box office, grossing $264 million on its opening weekend—a result that marks the best opening of Nolan’s career and one of the biggest releases of the year.
The film, based on the epic poem attributed to Homer, has far surpassed *The Dark Knight Rises* ($249 million), *The Dark Knight* ($198 million), and *Oppenheimer* ($180 million).
The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, king of Ithaca, and chronicles his journey home after the Trojan War. Damon leads a stellar cast that includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, and John Leguizamo.
The film, which has grossed $124.5 million in the United States and Canada alone, according to data from the Box Office Mojo website, is one of this year’s highest-rated films, with an “A” in CinemaScore’s exit polls and a 95% approval rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes.
Nolan’s decision to use the IMAX format has paid off: ticket sales from IMAX theaters totaled $51.8 million, or 23% of the global box office, according to Variety. “The Odyssey” had a production budget of $250 million—not including marketing expenses—making it one of the most profitable productions of the year.
In the United States and Canada, men accounted for 56% of ticket buyers, and half of the audience was between the ages of 18 and 34, highlighting that Nolan appeals to viewers of all generations.
The rest of the international box office is split among “Moana,” which has grossed $178 million worldwide. The film, which opened last week, saw a 56 percent drop in ticket sales compared to the previous week following a disappointing opening.
“Minions & Monsters” has grossed $357 million since its release, and “Toy Story 5” will soon surpass $1 billion at the box office after five weeks in theaters (it has currently grossed $958 million at the box office since its release), according to Agencia EFE.