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Nolan’s “The Odyssey” Posts $264 M Opening, Damon’s Biggest Debut

7/20/2026

27 6 Full Breakdown

Summary

Story summary

Christopher Nolan (director) opened “The Odyssey” with $124.5 million domestically, his biggest non-Batman debut.
The film earned $264.1 million worldwide, eclipsing Nolan’s prior opening records.
International sales of $139.6 million set Nolan’s largest overseas debut, surpassing “The Dark Knight Rises.”
The $264.1 million start gave Matt Damon (actor) his biggest opening.
The same start gave Universal a record in 11 markets.

History

Historical Context

In 1998 James Cameron’s Titanic became the first film to surpass $1 billion worldwide and later reached $2.264 billion, holding the all-time box-office crown for twelve years. That benchmark for original, non-franchise blockbusters resurfaces as Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey opened with $124.5 million domestically in 2024, prompting studios like Universal to favor auteur-driven projects over sequels.

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Story summary

Christopher Nolan (director) opened “The Odyssey” with $124.5 million domestically, his biggest non-Batman debut.
The film earned $264.1 million worldwide, eclipsing Nolan’s prior opening records.
International sales of $139.6 million set Nolan’s largest overseas debut, surpassing “The Dark Knight Rises.”
The $264.1 million start gave Matt Damon (actor) his biggest opening.
The same start gave Universal a record in 11 markets.

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