The Odyssey passes $1.7 billion as Nolan’s epic smashes three box office records

Director Christopher Nolan‘s The Odyssey has passed $1.7 billion worldwide since its 17 July release, according to box office trackers, becoming Universal’s highest-grossing film, the top R-rated earner ever and the biggest IMAX release in history.

TL;DR

• The Odyssey has reached about $1.7 billion worldwide, according to The Numbers; Universal’s last confirmed total was $1.684 billion.
• It is Universal’s biggest film, the highest-grossing R-rated movie and the top earner in IMAX history.
• UK audiences have spent £84.5 million on tickets, and the film carries a BBFC 15 certificate.
• IMAX 70mm screenings run through 30 September.

How The Odyssey became Universal’s biggest film ever

The film overtook 2015’s Jurassic World as Universal Pictures‘ highest-grossing release over the weekend of 12 and 13 September, according to Deadline. Jurassic World finished on $1.677 billion, while The Odyssey stood at $1.684 billion at that point.

Trackers now put the total near $1.7 billion. According to The Numbers, that is roughly 6.8 times the film’s $250 million production budget.

The nearly three-hour epic stars actor Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, alongside a large ensemble cast.

Donna Langley, chairman of NBCUniversal Entertainment, said Nolan and his wife, producer Emma Thomas, had made “one of the most ambitious and brilliantly executed films in cinematic history,” according to Variety.

Three records in one theatrical run

In August, the film became the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever, reaching $1.352 billion and beating Deadpool & Wolverine‘s $1.338 billion, according to Variety. Ryan Reynolds, the Deadpool & Wolverine star, congratulated the cast and crew on X on 19 August, according to Deadline.

In early August, the film also passed Avatar‘s $271 million to become the highest-grossing IMAX release, according to Variety. IMAX has since taken more than $457 million from the film worldwide, according to Deadline. It is also the first narrative feature shot entirely on IMAX film cameras, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

Box office at a glance

Worldwide (Universal record)	R-rated milestone (August)	IMAX worldwide	UK total (mid-September)
$1.684 billion Source: Deadline	$1.352 billion Source: Variety	$457 million+ Source: Deadline	£84.5 million Source: Wikipedia UK chart

Why the milestone matters

Few modern hits succeed without a franchise behind them. The Odyssey is the third-biggest non-franchise release of all time, according to Deadline, and the first non-sequel to pass $1 billion overseas since 2009, according to Variety.

Universal has also become the first studio to pass $4 billion worldwide this year, reaching $4.92 billion, according to Deadline.

The records are unadjusted for inflation. When prices are factored in, Universal’s biggest release remains Steven Spielberg’s E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, according to Screen Rant.

The Odyssey in UK cinemas: certificate, box office and IMAX

The film opened in UK cinemas on 17 July and topped the UK and Ireland box office that weekend, according to Variety. The BBFC rated it 15 for strong violence.

UK audiences have spent £84.5 million on tickets, making it the second-biggest release of 2026 behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day (£98.1 million), according to Wikipedia’s UK box office chart.

London’s BFI IMAX recorded its biggest three-day opening weekend on record, beating the mark set by Star Wars: The Last Jedi in 2017, according to Variety.

British actors Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Samantha Morton and Himesh Patel are among the cast, according to the credits listed by The Numbers.

IMAX 70mm screenings have been extended through 30 September at 39 auditoriums worldwide, according to Deadline.

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Reported from publicly available interviews and verified press sources. Last reviewed 21 September 2026.