‘The Odyssey’ sails past ‘The Dark Knight Rises’ as Nolan’s biggest hit

Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has overtaken “The Dark Knight Rises” to become the highest-grossing film of the Oscar-winning director’s career, crossing the USD 1.1 billion mark worldwide less than a month after its release.

The epic, released on July 17, has earned USD 1.104 billion globally, surpassing the USD 1.085 billion gross of Nolan’s 2012 Batman sequel. His 2008 blockbuster “The Dark Knight” ranks next at just over USD 1 billion.

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Based on Homer’s ancient Greek epic, “The Odyssey” stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca who undertakes a perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan War.

Nolan wrote and directed the film and produced it with his wife and longtime collaborator, Emma Thomas.

The three-hour epic features a large ensemble cast including Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Tom Holland, Charlize Theron and Lupita Nyong’o.

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Photo: Collected

The film has also become the highest-grossing movie of the careers of Damon, Hathaway and Pattinson, according to current box-office figures.

“The Odyssey” opened at No 1 globally and has maintained its strong theatrical run. Its latest milestone comes as the film adds another distinction to Nolan’s already formidable box-office record.

With the new total, Nolan’s films have collectively generated more than USD 7 billion worldwide, according to current industry figures.

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The film is produced by Nolan and Thomas’s Syncopy, with Universal Pictures handling its worldwide theatrical release. It is also the third Universal release this year to cross the USD 1 billion threshold, following “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Michael”.

Universal’s president of domestic theatrical distribution, Jim Orr, attributed the film’s performance to Nolan’s ability to turn his releases into major theatrical events.

“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. 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,” Orr said, according to The Guardian.