Entertainment
The Odyssey storms past $346 million in first week, beats Oppenheimer to deliver Christopher Nolan’s biggest-ever box office debut
Director Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey has grossed more than $346 million worldwide in its opening week, overtaking the early box office pace of Oppenheimer and setting multiple records globally, including in India.
Christopher Nolan has once again proven his box office dominance. His latest cinematic spectacle, The Odyssey, has emerged as one of the biggest theatrical successes of 2026, collecting more than $346 million worldwide in just its first week.
The epic adventure has not only delivered the largest opening of Nolan’s career but has also outperformed the early theatrical run of his Oscar-winning blockbuster Oppenheimer, cementing its place among the year’s biggest global releases.
Christopher Nolan’s biggest opening ever
Made on an estimated $250 million budget, The Odyssey recovered its production cost within just three days of release thanks to an exceptional worldwide opening.
The film earned:
- North America: $124.5 million during its opening weekend
- International markets: $139.6 million across 73 territories
- Worldwide opening weekend: $264.1 million
By the end of its first week, the film’s worldwide collection had climbed beyond $346 million, making it the highest opening of Christopher Nolan’s filmmaking career.
Outpaces Oppenheimer and The Dark Knight Rises
The film has comfortably surpassed the opening performances of several of Nolan’s previous blockbusters.
According to trade estimates:
- The Odyssey – $346 million in its opening week
- Oppenheimer – Slower six-day pace before finishing with $330 million in North America
- The Dark Knight Rises – $249 million worldwide opening
The impressive numbers underline the filmmaker’s growing global appeal, particularly following the massive success of Oppenheimer.
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Historic run at the Indian box office
The film has also witnessed an extraordinary response in India, where audiences have embraced Nolan’s latest visual spectacle.
By the end of its first week, The Odyssey had collected approximately:
- ₹90.30 crore (India net)
- ₹107.72 crore (India gross)
The release also created history by recording the highest-grossing IMAX opening in India, overtaking Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning, headlined by Tom Cruise.
The strong IMAX demand reflects Nolan’s reputation for creating large-format cinematic experiences that attract audiences worldwide.
IMAX continues to power global success
Another significant milestone came from premium format screenings.
The Odyssey has become only the second film in history to generate more than $50 million from IMAX screens worldwide during its opening weekend, highlighting the overwhelming audience preference for experiencing the film on the biggest possible screens.
Strong second weekend expected
Trade analysts expect the momentum to continue over the coming days.
With no major Hollywood releases challenging it and the film retaining virtually all of its IMAX and premium large-format screens, projections indicate a second-weekend collection between $61 million and $74 million globally.
If the film maintains its current pace, industry experts believe The Odyssey could comfortably emerge as one of Christopher Nolan’s highest-grossing films and one of the biggest worldwide hits of 2026.
The film’s remarkable opening once again demonstrates Nolan’s unique ability to draw audiences to theatres, proving that original large-scale storytelling continues to thrive on the global big screen.
