Updated

Updated · Deadline · Jul 17

The Odyssey Nears $40 Million Globally in Opening Days as Thursday Gross Hits $18.9 Million

Updated

Updated · Deadline · Jul 17

The Odyssey Nears $40 Million Globally in Opening Days as Thursday Gross Hits $18.9 Million

Q: Can Nolan's $375M epic draw mainstream audiences beyond the initial IMAX hype?

Yes — the early evidence suggests *The Odyssey* can reach well beyond the IMAX core, though the real proof will be its hold after opening weekend. The strongest sign is that demand is not being driven by hype alone. Preview sales are heading to about $15 million, ahead of *Oppenheimer* and *Dune: Part Two*, while advance sales of $30 million to $40 million indicate broad pre-release interest. Just as important, the film has exceptional reception: 96% from critics and 96% from audiences on Rotten Tomatoes, making it one of Nolan’s best-reviewed crowd responses. That kind of approval is what turns an event opening into a mainstream run. Nolan also has recent evidence on his side. *Oppenheimer*, another long, adult-skewing, R-rated prestige epic, broke out far beyond cinephiles and earned sustained business through word of mouth. *The Odyssey* has similar advantages, plus a more overtly accessible hook: a famous story, a star-heavy cast led by Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland and Zendaya, and a spectacle-driven presentation that theaters can market as a must-see event. The risk is that premium formats are doing much of the early heavy lifting. With a reported $375 million all-in cost, the film cannot rely only on sold-out IMAX 70MM shows. It needs strong turnout in standard auditoriums and solid second- and third-weekend drops. If mainstream audiences respond to the story and not just the format, the current numbers suggest it has a real path to doing that.

3 articles · Updated · Deadline · Jul 17

$39.8 million in worldwide ticket sales has already flowed to Universal's The Odyssey, combining $17.6 million in North American previews with a $22.2 million offshore start.
$18.9 million came in on Thursday alone as the film opened across 73 overseas markets, playing on more than 25,100 foreign screens with a larger initial footprint than Oppenheimer in comparable territories.
France led early overseas results at nearly $5 million, while Australia reached $3.7 million and Italy delivered a $2.5 million Thursday, with several markets posting Nolan career-best non-superhero openings.
$200 million remains the weekend worldwide target, and the film appears less exposed to a World Cup ratings clash after England failed to reach Sunday's final.