Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has crossed the $1 billion mark worldwide after three weeks in theatres, putting the epic adaptation of Homer’s Greek poem within reach of becoming the filmmaker’s highest-grossing movie.
The Matt Damon-starrer has earned $429.6 million in North America and another $578.8 million from international markets, taking its global total to $1.009 billion.
The Odyssey overtakes The Dark Knight
With its latest numbers, The Odyssey has moved past Nolan’s 2008 blockbuster The Dark Knight, which finished its theatrical run with $1.008 billion.
The film now needs another $73 million to overtake The Dark Knight Rises, which earned $1.081 billion worldwide. Trade sources estimate that The Odyssey could cross that figure by the end of its fourth weekend.
If that happens, it would become Nolan’s highest-grossing film to date.
Spider-Man slows the box office run
The Odyssey opened strongly, earning more than $500 million worldwide in its first week before maintaining its momentum in the second.
Its run faced a major challenge with the arrival of Spider-Man: Brand New Day. By then, The Odyssey had already crossed $800 million globally, giving it a sizeable lead before the superhero film entered the market.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day went on to record a $1.2 billion opening week, affecting The Odyssey’s collections. In North America, The Odyssey made $51 million in its third weekend, down from $90 million in the previous weekend.
The film also lost a significant share of overseas screens to Spider-Man. Its continued IMAX presence, however, has helped sustain its box-office run.
Matt Damon leads Nolan’s epic
Based on Homer’s epic, The Odyssey follows Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, during his perilous ten-year journey home after the Trojan War.
Anne Hathaway plays Penelope, while Tom Holland stars as their son, Telemachus. The cast also includes Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton and Zendaya.
The film has received universal critical acclaim, with particular praise for its scale, practical effects and themes of redemption. Robert Pattinson and Samantha Morton have also drawn attention for their performances.
With its box-office performance already putting it above The Dark Knight, The Odyssey is now being viewed as a potential major contender at next year’s Oscars.