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Nolan's “The Odyssey” Opens $264 M, Sparks Casting Backlash

7/21/2026

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Summary

Story summary

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” earned US$264 million in its U.S. opening weekend, Universal Pictures reports.
The film was shot in five countries over 91 days using practical effects and over 2 million feet of IMAX film.
Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy drew criticism in Greece, despite Greek viewers praising the film’s scale and effects.
Nolan kept Zeus unseen and limited Athena’s (Zendaya) role to a brief, inscrutable presence.

History

Historical Context

When James Cameron released Avatar on Dec 10 2009, the $237 million-budget sci-fi epic became the first film to surpass $2 billion worldwide, eclipsing his earlier blockbuster Titanic. Its extensive use of new 3-D motion-capture and IMAX formats sparked a surge in 3-D releases and prompted studios such as 20th Century Fox to prioritize immersive, globally-scaled productions.

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Story summary

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” earned US$264 million in its U.S. opening weekend, Universal Pictures reports.
The film was shot in five countries over 91 days using practical effects and over 2 million feet of IMAX film.
Lupita Nyong’o’s casting as Helen of Troy drew criticism in Greece, despite Greek viewers praising the film’s scale and effects.
Nolan kept Zeus unseen and limited Athena’s (Zendaya) role to a brief, inscrutable presence.

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