In less than 24 hours since its release, The Odyssey has already broken a big box office record. Fans got the chance to watch Christopher Nolan‘s new film early via its Thursday night previews across the country. The film has generated a lot of buzz with promotions urging fans to watch it in their nearest IMAX theater.
What box office record did The Odyssey break after Thursday preview screenings?
The Odyssey has set the record for the biggest Thursday night opening of the year (via Variety). According to the report, the film grossed $17.6 million in Thursday preview screenings, surpassing Toy Story 5’s massive $17.5 million opening in the same period. The film is currently projected to earn $90–100 million this weekend. However, some believe those estimates are also conservative. Nolan’s previous film, Oppenheimer, grossed $10.5 million in Thursday night previews.
What makes the opening even more impressive is that it is a nearly 3-hour-long R-rated epic, which inherently limits its potential audience. However, R-rated films in recent years have grossed more than expected, especially when coming from celebrated filmmakers or set in major franchises. Deadpool & Wolverine is currently the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, having earned more than $1.3 billion worldwide. Nolan’s Oppenheimer ranks third with $976 million worldwide.
With the current weekend collection estimates, The Odyssey is already on its way to becoming Nolan’s biggest launch following 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises, which is his most expensive film. The film’s budget is estimated to be around the $250 million range. Beyond its large budget, Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy also inspired The Odyssey in other ways.
ComingSoon’s Jonathan Sim praised The Odyssey in their review, stating it was an “extraordinary achievement that deserves to be seen on the biggest screen possible.” It holds a 96% rating on Rotten Tomatoes with 300 reviews at the time of writing. The film’s critics have also noted some surprising similarities between it and Oppenheimer.
The Odyssey is currently playing in theaters worldwide.
