Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has officially become the highest-grossing movie in Universal Pictures history, replacing Jurassic World at the top of the studio’s worldwide rankings.
Led by Matt Damon as Odysseus, the mythological epic has earned approximately $1.688 billion globally as of September 17. That includes about $602.9 million in the United States and Canada and $1.085 billion from international markets, according to Box Office Mojo.
The milestone gives Universal a new global champion after 11 years—and adds several more records to what was already the biggest commercial success of Nolan’s career.
The Odyssey Has Passed Jurassic World
Universal announced on September 12 that The Odyssey had overtaken 2015’s Jurassic World, which finished its original theatrical run with approximately $1.672 billion worldwide.
At the time of the announcement, The Odyssey had reached $1.677 billion. Continued weekday ticket sales have since pushed it farther ahead, with its worldwide total approaching $1.69 billion.
The comparison is based on nominal box-office grosses and does not adjust older ticket sales for inflation. Nevertheless, it places The Odyssey ahead of every release Universal has distributed, including the studio’s biggest entries from the Jurassic World, Fast & Furious, Despicable Me and Minions franchises.
Universal also described the movie as the third-highest-grossing non-franchise title at the time it claimed the record. Although the film adapts Homer’s ancient poem, it was not launched as a sequel, remake or installment in an established movie series.
International Audiences Drove Most of the Record Total
More than 64% of the movie’s worldwide revenue has come from outside the United States and Canada.
The United Kingdom is its largest reported international market, with more than $111 million. China has contributed approximately $102.9 million, while South Korea has delivered more than $80 million. France, Italy, Germany, Australia, Spain and Mexico have also produced substantial totals.
That broad geographic performance proved especially important for a story rooted in Greek mythology. Universal said the film became its highest-grossing release ever in 45 international markets, including Australia, France, India, Italy and South Korea.
The movie opened with $263.8 million worldwide in July, the largest global debut of Nolan’s career. Its North American opening contributed $123.5 million, while 73 international markets supplied another $140.3 million.
More important than the opening alone was the film’s staying power. Universal reported that The Odyssey returned to No. 1 globally during its eighth weekend and had developed a worldwide box-office multiple of more than six times its opening.
Matt Damon Became the Face of Nolan’s Biggest Spectacle
Damon anchors the movie as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca attempting to return home after the Trojan War. His journey places the character against storms, monsters and divine interference while his family waits for him in Ithaca.
The role gives Damon the central physical and emotional responsibility in a production designed around enormous locations and large-format imagery. Universal has identified The Odyssey as the highest-grossing movie of Damon’s career, as well as the biggest worldwide release for several other members of its ensemble.
Still, its $1.68 billion performance cannot be attributed to one star alone. The commercial package combined Damon’s familiarity, Homer’s internationally recognizable story, a large cast and Nolan’s status as one of the few directors marketed as prominently as his actors.
The film also arrived after Oppenheimer strengthened Nolan’s relationship with Universal and demonstrated that audiences would support a lengthy, filmmaker-driven production outside a conventional action franchise.
IMAX Helped Turn the Film Into an Event
Nolan and producer Emma Thomas positioned The Odyssey as a movie that demanded the largest possible screen.
The production was shot entirely on IMAX film across international locations—an approach Universal emphasized throughout the advertising campaign. The release subsequently established records for IMAX, including the biggest domestic opening for an IMAX 70mm presentation and, according to the studio, the highest total ever earned by a movie through IMAX screenings.
Premium tickets do not explain the full $1.68 billion, but they increased the value of sold admissions and gave audiences a reason to choose theaters over waiting for a home release. Repeat viewing and an unusually long theatrical run also helped the movie continue earning after its opening surge.
The R Rating Made the Result More Unusual
The Odyssey achieved its record despite receiving an R rating, which limits access for younger moviegoers unless they are accompanied by an adult.
It has surpassed Deadpool & Wolverine to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie worldwide. It is also Nolan’s biggest movie domestically, internationally and globally, moving ahead of his Batman films and Oppenheimer.
The result is particularly notable because Universal reportedly spent approximately $250 million on production. A global gross approaching $1.69 billion clearly makes the theatrical run a major commercial achievement, although the gross should not be treated as pure profit. Theaters retain part of ticket revenue, while marketing, distribution and participant payments add to the studio’s costs.
How Much Higher Can The Odyssey Go?
The Odyssey is now in the later stages of its theatrical run, so future gains are likely to arrive more slowly. Its final total has not yet been determined, and current figures will continue changing as remaining markets report ticket sales.
It is also not the world’s highest-grossing movie of 2026. That position belongs to Spider-Man: Brand New Day, while The Odyssey ranks second among this year’s releases.
For Universal, however, the most important comparison has already been settled. A 3,000-year-old story, a filmmaker associated with original theatrical events and Matt Damon’s performance as a battle-worn Odysseus have displaced dinosaurs at the top of the studio’s global box-office history.
