As they say, men lie, women lie, but numbers don’t. After the online storm of debate and backlash surrounding Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey, the numbers are finally coming in. However, the naysayers have seemingly fallen silent. With no more than 12 days running in worldwide theaters, it has already risen to be the fourth-highest grossing movie of 2026.
At this point, the titles ahead of the Greek epic are Michael, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and Toy Story 5. These all released earlier in the year and have earned just over a billion dollars each.
What this signifies is that Nolan’s film will no doubt cross the billion-dollar threshold and join the billion-dollar movie club. Culturally, the movie is proving to be a rare phenomenon. Hence, further cementing Nolan’s position in the pantheon of legendary Hollywood directors.
Christopher Nolan with the main cast of The Odyssey. Source: Dave Benett//Getty Images
To be fair to the critics, Christopher was working from some of the richest source material in existence – Homer’s 3,000-year-old epic story. Still, what the film has accomplished is significant. This is because it has yet to be released in the mammoth Chinese market.
Surprisingly to most, China is the world’s largest IMAX market (larger than the USA, Canada, and Europe combined), and a red-carpet welcome is in preparation in the country’s thousands of theaters and 800 Imax screens.
The Spider in The Room
Despite the sunny projections, there’s still a bit of a shadow looming on the horizon for this project. Spider-Man: Brand New Day is arguably the most eagerly anticipated movie of the year. Well, interestingly enough, this is the superstar pairing of Tom Holland and Zendaya, playing leading roles in both.
In fact, it’s tentatively slated to attain one of the biggest theater openings of all time for a Hollywood production. What this means for The Odyssey is that some of its momentum might be siphoned off by the hype around Peter Parker’s next outing. However, the smart money is on The Odyssey pushing through and maintaining a strong performance regardless.
Christopher Nolan has a legendary record of box-office smashes to his credit, but this has all the promise of being something special.
The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises both cleared the billion-dollar mark. This project looks set to match or exceed their success. Still, it will be his most expensive film to date, at the eye-watering production cost of $250 million.
The IMAX Effect
Practical effects, massive lenses, and intricate plots have been the hallmark of Nolan’s production. Well, this is going to be something special, even by his standards. The Odyssey will be the first feature-length commercial movie shot entirely with 70mm IMAX cameras. This comes with unmatched image resolution, unparalleled immersion, and immense scale.
If there was ever an ideal way to take in such a story, the 18k resolution of an IMAX screening is it. There are reports that the increasing demand for IMAX-capable theaters is a direct result of this film.
All in all, The Odyssey looks set to become a cultural milestone, much farther than being another notch on Nolan’s belt. If you’re lucky enough to have an IMAX theater nearby, don’t miss out. Whether you’re there for the story or for the sheer spectacle of this epic story, make sure you get yourself there.