It’s a homecoming for Odysseus, and in more ways than one. In an opening fit for the king of Ithaca, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey sailed away to US$264 million globally, with a domestic haul of US$124 million coming in as the third-biggest start of the year after Toy Story 5 (US$159 million) and The Super Mario Galaxy (US$131 million).
The feat is particularly impressive, given that this retelling of Homer’s classic epic has an R rating and leans into sword-and-sandal stylings, a genre that’s less explored in modern cinema. It also dethrones 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises (US$249 million) as the filmmaker’s highest worldwide opening gross to date, earning the top R-rated opening of 2026 and Universal’s highest weekend launch ever for an R-rated film.
As the first feature to be shot entirely on IMAX cameras, The Odyssey collected US$51.8 million from premium large format screenings across the globe. The other draw comes from a star-studded cast led by Matt Damon as Odysseus and comprising Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal, and John Leguizamo. Adapted from the 3,000-year-old poem, which would lay the foundation for the hero’s journey narrative structure, it follows Odysseus and his eternal, perilous voyage home after the Trojan War.
Struggling to make the same splash is the live-action Moana, which has racked up US$178 million globally in its second weekend. The remake, starring newcomer Catherine Laga’aia as the titular character and Dwayne Johnson as the demigod Maui, reprising his role from the animated movies, is expected to be a misfire for Disney (the production budget carries a US$250 million price tag) despite retaining an identical premise — Moana, the daughter of a village chief, is chosen by the ocean to restore prosperity to her island.
Tied in third place are Minions and Monsters and Toy Story 5, each bringing in US$14.8 million over the latest weekend. While the former may end up as the lowest-grossing entry in the Despicable Me franchise, Disney’s sequel is on track to hit US$1 billion in ticket sales and overtake 2019’s Toy Story 4.
Going back to R-rated territory, Warner Bros.’ Evil Dead Burn sits at No. 5 with a global cume of US$51.4 million. Directed by Sébastien Vaniček, it stars Souheila Yacoub as a young woman who seeks solace with her in-laws following her husband’s death, as the family comes together in a secluded house, only to be turned into Deadites.
Si Jia is a casual geek at heart – or as casual as someone with Sephiroth’s theme on her Spotify playlist can get. A fan of movies, games, and Japanese culture, Si Jia’s greatest weakness is the Steam Summer Sale. Or any Steam sale, really.
Kevin Low
