The Odyssey becomes Christopher Nolan's highest grossing film

moviesAug 9, 2026402,130

Universal's The Odyssey climbed to a cumulative global gross of $1.104 billion, making it Christopher Nolan's highest-grossing film worldwide not adjusted for inflation, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The movie has earned $461.1 million domestically and $642.9 million internationally after opening July 17, reaching the milestone in just 24 days and surpassing the unadjusted totals of The Dark Knight ($1.008 billion) and The Dark Knight Rises ($1.085 billion). Nolan wrote and directed the 2026 adaptation of Homer and the star-studded cast includes Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, and Lupita Nyong'o. The Odyssey was shot entirely on IMAX 70 mm film, which has increased its premium-screen play and helped push grosses higher. ScreenRant notes the film's reported production budget at roughly $250 million and an estimated break-even near $625 million, a target the film has already passed. Adjusted for inflation, however, Nolan's earlier films still rank higher: The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises sit around $1.53 billion and $1.58 billion respectively, and Inception adjusts to about $1.29 billion, so The Odyssey would need further gains to climb the inflation-adjusted chart. Critics have also debated Nolan's adaptation choices, with some reviewers criticizing his reimagining of Circe as a more vindictive figure while others place that choice within a literary tradition of reinterpreting the character.

DiscussingFilm

@discussingfilm.net

‘THE ODYSSEY’ has become Christopher Nolan's highest grossing movie of all time at $1.1 billion. Surpassing ‘THE DARK KNIGHT RISES’.

128245d ago

fredgarvinstruss.bsky.social29

Saw The Odyssey. Nearly 3 hours of my life that I can’t get back. Honestly don’t know what all the fuss is about. Other than the cinematography and some special effects, it was underwhelming.

Jabroni Macaroni27

I just saw it yesterday. It is such a good movie and if anyone sees this that hasn’t seen it, you really owe it to yourself to see it in theaters.

@wscotgrey9

The difference being, I’m gonna watch the Dark Knight probably 40 more times in my life. Odyssey, maybe twice.

Constituent AuntiTFaLaLaLaLaLaLaLaLa7

lol. the chuds hating on a 3000 year old tale of a working man making his way home only boosted sales love that for Nolan

M. Carach 📕 📖 ✍️5

I don’t understand the conversation about highest grossing films when inflation is not taken into account. How can one even compare? Yes any blockbuster will out earn another when tickets are more expensive…

canucks72.bsky.social4

What a concept make movies with a good story, good direction, and actually made with are vs made within a focus group people will go to watch it.

Quoting this

kate bush’s husband496

The cope from the right has hit maximum levels

Thor Benson178

Nolan to right wingers: Do you feel in charge?

Wabi Sabi For Robots119

It's worth celebrating that Christopher Nolan's highest grossing film of all time prominently features a trans man who happens to be great in it

Cargie52

Wait i was led to believe this movie was a woke disaster? was I misinformed by endless screaming human thumbs on youtube?

Alb3rt049

Warner Bros fumbled BIG TIME with how they handled its 2021 releases, and now Universal is benefitting from having two of Chris Nolan’s most successful films outside Batman. I don’t see him going back to WB given current circumstances. Universal’s more stable and reliable atm.

Solomon36

I need to watch it again

redthespian - EVERYBODY WALK THE DINOSAUR27

Now’s a good time to say that the film’s producer and distributor, Universal Studios, has a land in one of their theme parks themed around Greek myth that has been essentially vacant for the better part of a decade. You know, you might be able to do something with that.

eagc1995 (VGen Comms Open)17

Me to the alt right grifters

Lucy Promise8

you know what they say, go woke go br…. wait hold on

Nat Writes On Good Days🇵🇷🏳‍⚧7

And who's the King of Summer?

Brendel

@brendelbored.bsky.social

Grimace, slowly removing glasses: he wasn’t trying to steal the burgers…he was trying to free them Credits roll, Christopher Nolan has done it again

21545d ago

Sigma_Drac1

So you're saying Ronald is Ray Kroc and the Hamburgler is the McDonald brothers?

Cullen

@hellocullen.bsky.social

Christopher Nolan omitted the part where Odysseus's ship is under Dave Matthews tour bus

11145d ago

SteveBluescemi2

"tie me to the mast!"

ToonHive

@toonhive.bsky.social

The global box office has officially delivered five billion-dollar films in 2026, the most in a single year since 2019. • ‘THE SUPER MARIO GALAXY MOVIE’ • ‘MICHAEL’ • ‘TOY STORY 5’ • ‘SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY’ • ‘THE ODYSSEY’

4044d ago

Sasquatch

@nerdysasquatch.bsky.social

The huge success of movies like Mario Galaxy, Spider-Man, Toy Story 5, and The Odyssey is not only good for movies and theatres, but it also proves terminally online losers wrong and is a good reminder of how pointless and pathetic hatedoms are.

3245d ago

Quoting this

wolfgabe.bsky.social5

Also adding the sales success of Switch 2 to that list as well

Lizardguy | check pinned post3

This needs to be heard and said a lot more.

Every Film Now

@everyfilmnow.bsky.social

Christopher Nolan’s ‘THE ODYSSEY’ is projected to earn $1.4B-1.5B globally by the end of its theatrical run. It could surpass ‘DEADPOOL & WOLVERINE’ to become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. #TheOdyssey #ChristopherNolan #DeadpoolAndWolverine

3045d ago

elias isquith

@eliasisquith.blog

you (smart and savvy): christopher nolan doesn’t trust his audiences enough and is too didactic the audience:

3746d ago

Thomas Banacek3

Oh, man, so there’s a bunch of soldiers inside a big ilhan Omar suit? That explains how she walks!

Jen Johans

@filmintuition.bsky.social

I’m all for going into movies with zero knowledge of the plot, but when I went to THE ODYSSEY, a couple was fully onboard… until the Cyclops scene & were so shocked by it, that they left. Like, “Wait, this is fantasy? Let’s bounce.” Again, it’s THE ODYSSEY. How are its fantastical elements a shock?

4045d ago

Jen Johans 7

And I say that as someone who typically is not the world’s biggest fantasy fan, lol.

Darkest Timeline JDP3

Wow. I will say that THE ODYSSEY has shown me that the average human (American?) seems completely ignorant of all classical texts. I knew they hadn’t read them — but I’m shocked by how they’ve failed to absorb even the most basic ideas that are basically cultural, creative canon.

Joel

@sentantiq.bsky.social

"What Nolan gets right about epic is that Homer makes us take a closer look at ourselves. The intensity of the debate about Nolan’s Odyssey shows that people long for serious discussions." neoskosmos.com/en/2026/08/0...

2845d ago

Arghavan Salles, MD, PhD

@arghavansallesmd.medsky.social

Not sure why Christopher Nolan didn’t hire me as a consultant for The Odyssey. Look at this project I did in elementary school! I even have a certificate and everything. Real missed opportunity.

Poster board with hand drawn pictures of characters in Greek mythology such as Medusa, Artemis, and Hera

2845d ago

Arghavan Salles, MD, PhD7

(Came across this while cleaning out my garage)

Naïna2

So cute! Also, did you grow up in Ames?

Seth Rosenthal

@sethrosenthal.bsky.social

I am about to see the Odyssey. This is a serious question and I only want serious answers: when during the movie should I get up to piss

3144d ago

Matt8

When you see Charlize Theron you are good to go.

TJ3

My wife looked this up beforehand and had three potential timeslots picked out and was so engrossed she sat through the entire thing without a bathroom break. First movie I can recall getting this kind of treatment from her

John Gorman1

At the end of each section there is enough buffer setting up each set piece that you won't miss much if you hurry. In an emergency, the parts with the suitors in Ithaca tend to ramble and can be redundant.

Eric Stephen1

I don't remember when in the movie I got up, but there was a point when I realized I wasn't going to make it another 80 minutes

Ian D.1

There are a couple mid-movie exchanges between Penelope and Telemachus that you can absolutely get up. They are 2-4 minutes so it’s perfect

Sumita Pahwa

@sumitapahwa.bsky.social

So, I waited weeks to see The Odyssey in the 70mm Imax format, as the auteur intended, & I have thoughts on the film adaptation, but mainly I am here to tell you NOT to wait or hold out for the Imax cos it actually made the visual experience more jarring 90% of the time (sea scenes/cliffs excluded)

2844d ago

Sumita Pahwa6

On to the actual film: the storytelling was fine, some of the scenes were artistically spectacular (mostly sea/beach scenes, and the cliffs with flowers), but much of the action takes place in darkened palace rooms, and is fast moving in a jagged arty early oughts camera way. Dialogues are OK.

Anne van der Zanden 🐺

@wlf359.com

At the Ronson Theatre, I watched Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” (shot entirely with IMAX® film cameras) presented in 70mm IMAX® film. Rather than simply watching the screen, I felt as though I was there the entire time. It was more than watching it, I witnessed it.

Anne and Chante looking at the camera with a serious expression because watching movies is serious business.

2445d ago

Anne van der Zanden 🐺3

(please get the reference or we'll die of cringe)

KELSO🪶2

The alt text is killing me

Cédric1

i'm really excited for O.D. and Physint mitosised hideo kojima

alternate ending

@jamiroqueer.bsky.social

we’re about to see THE ODYSSEY in non-IMAX, which is actually super easy to do on short notice around here

2345d ago

🦖Teawrex🦖

@teawrex.gay

Surprised at how much I liked The Odyssey tbh. Went in expecting to be whelmed but was surprised at the pacing and dreamlike way the story was told. Worth waking up for today!

1645d ago

3 sources

deadline.comBox Office: 'Odyssey' Now Christopher Nolan's Highest Grossing All-Time leverageonheroesmedia.com‘The Odyssey’ Becomes Christopher Nolan’s Highest Grossing Movie Ever At Global screenrant.comThe Odyssey Box Office Breaks All-Time Christopher Nolan Record In Just 24 Days

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The Odyssey becomes Christopher Nolan's highest grossing film

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