The Odyssey Dominates Box Office With $87 Million Second Weekend

The box office run for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey continues to defy typical blockbuster curves. After opening to more than $100 million domestically, the ancient Greek epic added another $87 million in North American theaters over its second weekend. That modest 30% decline places the film’s domestic total at an estimated $286 million, while international markets added another $215.3 million, lifting its global haul to roughly $639.6 million. In terms of holds, that’s the third best ever for a film that opened to more than $100 million, behind only Wicked and Top Gun: Maverick.

The Odyssey Sets Records for Nolan and the R-Rating Category

Setting Records for Nolan and the R-Rating Category

The weekend performance gives Nolan his best second weekend ever at the domestic box office, surpassing The Dark Knight, which earned $75.1 million in its second weekend in 2008. The Odyssey is already Universal’s second highest grossing R-rated movie after Nolan’s Oppenheimer ($330M) and ahead of Ted ($218.8M). Global for the Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, John Leguziamo, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron vehicle stands at $639.6 million after a massive second global frame of $215.3 million.

According to Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak’s head of marketplace trends, the film’s resilience points to genuine enthusiasm. That would be an impressive opening weekend for any film, said Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak’s head of marketplace trends. This is a testament to the outpouring of excitement and enthusiasm that moviegoers are having for Christopher Nolan’s latest epic.

Premium Screens and Historic Theater Turnout Drive The Odyssey

Premium Screens and Historic Theater Turnout

Audience demand remains exceptionally heavy for IMAX and other enhanced formats — Imax, PLFs and 70MM — which drove 57% of Odyssey‘s second weekend. That’s a greater percentile share than last weekend’s 53%. Broken out we have Imax at 27% (5% from Imax 70MM and 22% digital), with PLFs at 19% (Dolby reps 4% of that figure). Filmed exclusively with Imax’s 70mm cameras, IMAX ticket sales have now accounted for $140 million in sales, with IMAX screens alone accounting for $48 million of the global earnings this weekend. The coveted 70 mm IMAX screens, of which there are only 41 worldwide, earned $5.2 million. Most of those showtimes are sold out through September, the company said.

Theaters around the world are adding showtimes to try to meet the demand, Dergarabedian said. Universal Pictures’ The Odyssey from director Christopher Nolan didn’t disappoint across its second weekend at the box office, adding $87 million across North American screens to up its global tally to $640 million, including $286 million domestically.

Gross with FranchiseRE wrote in a post. [Lionsgate/Universal’] Michael did it recently, with a $97.2 million first weekend and then finishing with $372 million. That’s a 380% domestic multiple.

‘The Odyssey’ has crossed over from hit blockbuster to global cultural event, said Imax CEO Richard Gelfond. Our results indicate that audiences around the world will line up to experience this one-of-a-kind film in Imax for weeks, if not months, to come.

Disney Milestones and Other Weekend Releases Shape Box Office

Disney Milestones and Other Weekend Releases

While Nolan’s epic dominated the top spot, Disney/Pixar’s Toy Story 5 crossed $1 billion, becoming the highest grossing movie of the year with $1.022B ahead of Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($1.011B) and Michael ($1.01B). Toy Story 5 passed $1 billion, to now rank as the No. 6 Pixar release of all time. Disney’s live-action Moana and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 added $10.5 million and $10 million in third weekend and sixth weekend ticket sales, respectively. No new wide release braved the waters this weekend, with studios preferring to stay out of the wake of Universal and Nolan, the undisputed name-brand filmmaker working today.

Bleeker Street’s Hadestown: The Musical — adapted from the Tony award-winning Broadway musical with the original cast, the storyline, based on the Greek myth of Orpheus attempting to rescue his fiancée, Eurydice, opened to $9.6 million in ticket sales. The opening is very good for the genre, wrote Gross.

Spider-Man: Brand New Day Prepares to Enter Weekend Competition

Looking Ahead to Next Weekend’s Competition

The box office landscape shifts slightly next weekend. Next weekend, juggernaut Spider-Man: Brand New Day, starring The Odyssey castmembers and married couple Tom Holland and Zendaya, arrives from Sony and Marvel. The open waters will become a little more crowded next weekend when audiences get another blockbuster option with Spider-Man: Brand New Day.