Christopher Nolan’s big-budget adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey has become the director’s highest-grossing film ever – beating his Dark Knight movies and other blockbusters including sci-fi epic Interstellar and Oscar winner Oppenheimer.

The Odyssey, released on July 17 and starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, grossed $US264.1 million ($378.6 million) in global ticket sales on its opening weekend and has now made more than $US1 billion ($A1.41 billion) at the global box office.

That’s well ahead of Nolan’s previous top-grossing film, 2012’s Batman spin-off The Dark Knight Rises ($US1.085 billion), 2008’s The Dark Knight ($US1.005 billion), and 2023’s Oppenheimer ($US975 million).

And The Odyssey, which cost $US250 million ($A354 million) to make, hasn’t even finished its cinema run yet.

“Christopher Nolan has earned audiences’ trust by consistently delivering must-see theatrical events, and The Odyssey is him operating at the peak of his powers,” said Jim Orr, president of domestic theatrical distribution at Universal Pictures.

“Nolan’s epic film has been at the forefront of culture, with audiences seeking out premium formats and repeat viewings for this once-in-a-lifetime cinematic journey.”

The Odyssey features a star-studded cast (pictured with the director). Photo: AP

Ahead of The Odyssey’s release last month, Orr had said there was a “palpable excitement” among US audiences for Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek poem, which follows hero Odysseus on his perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan War.

The film – whose star-studded cast includes Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron and Lupita Nyong’o – has also created controversy in some circles for its use of modern dialogue, and right-wing backlash over casting choices.

Tech mogul Elon Musk has continued his attack on The Odyssey since its release, even claiming his own AI tool Grok Imagine will make a “historically accurate” version of Homer’s epic.

But none of that seems to have deterred audiences – perhaps the opposite – with The Hollywood Reporter noting that The Odyssey is the second-highest-grossing R-rated release of all time (behind only 2024’s Deadpool and Wolverine) and the top-grossing Imax film ever.

 

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In total, Nolan’s movies – which also include Dunkirk, Tenet, Interstellar, Batman Begins and Memento – have now grossed more than $US7 billion ($A9.91 billion) globally.

The 56-year-old both wrote and directed The Odyssey, which he also produced alongside his wife, Emma Thomas.

It was made with production companies Syncopy and Universal Pictures, and is one of three Universal films to have grossed $US1 billion globally this year, alongside The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Michael.

–with PA