Later today, I’m going to see The Odyssey. I’m a little late to the party, but you know what they say: better late than never, right? It’s not like Christopher Nolan’s latest opus isn’t making enough money. In fact, that’s why we’re here, writing this article. Nolan’s latest epic recently crossed the $1 billion mark at the global box office and, after opening overseas, could become the famed filmmaker’s highest-grossing movie ever, overtaking the $1.085 billion Dark Knight Rises.
If you break down the totals for The Odyssey, Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem has earned $429.7M domestically and $570.3M internationally. The movie opened in Korea on Wednesday and will land in China on August 14, followed by Japan on September 11. Think about that for a second. The film still hasn’t opened in some of the world’s biggest markets, meaning it could make money hand over fist in those territories in the weeks to come! In addition to playing in regular theaters (which is where I’ll be seeing it, our local IMAX theater is pure garbage), IMAX screenings continue to sell like hotcakes, making it almost impossible to score tickets without booking way in advance.
Per Deadline, The Odyssey’s highest-grossing territories as of today are UK/Ireland ($75.3M), France ($52.4M), Italy ($46.9M), Germany ($35.2M), Australia ($29.8M), Mexico ($28M), Spain ($27.3M), India ($19.6M), Netherlands ($13.9M) and Saudi Arabia ($13.1M).
Meanwhile, Spider-Man: Brand New Day continues to dominate the box office after earning $1.35 billion since its debut last Thursday. The friendly neighborhood hero’s latest sequel is already the highest-grossing film of the year, and analysts expect it to have a strong second weekend at the box office. Between The Odyssey and Spider-Man: Brand New Day, theater owners are eating well as audiences show up in droves to spend their hard-earned cash on tickets, snacks, and collectible popcorn buckets. It’s rare to have two movies performing like gangbusters at the same time. Still, we could see the trend continue come “Dunesday,” when Dune: Part Three and Avengers: Doomsday are unleashed in theaters simultaneously on December 18. Start saving your cash now! That’s going to be an expensive weekend at the theater if you plan to hit both!