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Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Leaves One of the Greatest Sci-Fi Movies Ever in the Dust
Christopher Nolan's new film "The Odyssey" has posted a stronger opening than "Dune: Part Two", one of recent years' most celebrated science-fiction releases, marking a strong start for the director's follow-up to his Oscar-winning "Oppenheimer". At a reported $250 million, it is Nolan's most expensive film to date, tying "The Dark Knight Rises", and would need to gross around $1 billion worldwide to be considered a genuine blockbuster success.
The film has launched with a "Certified Fresh" 95% critics' score and a "Verified Hot" 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, alongside an A grade from opening-day CinemaScore audiences. It opened in more than 70 territories, with China, Japan and South Korea still to come, and took $18 million in US Thursday previews, the best of the year so far. It is on course to deliver the top live-action opening weekend of 2026, the best debut of star Matt Damon's career, and the third-biggest of Nolan's own career, behind only "The Dark Knight Rises" and "The Dark Knight".
In short
- Nolan's "The Odyssey" opening outpaces "Dune: Part Two" at the box office
- $250m film has scored 95% critics' and 97% audience ratings on Rotten Tomatoes
- On track for 2026's biggest live-action opening and Matt Damon's best debut
Explained simply
Christopher Nolan is one of the world's most acclaimed film directors, known for making ambitious science-fiction and action films. His previous film, 'Oppenheimer', won multiple Academy Awards including best picture, establishing him as a major creative force in contemporary cinema.
'The Odyssey' is Nolan's latest science-fiction film, starring Matt Damon. At a reported cost of £250 million, it is the most expensive film Nolan has made. Films with budgets at this level typically need to earn around £1 billion worldwide to be considered financial successes.
The film has received strong critical reviews and positive audience responses. Its opening weekend performance has exceeded that of 'Dune: Part Two', a celebrated science-fiction film from recent years, indicating substantial viewer interest.
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