Christopher Nolan’s latest epic, “The Odyssey,” has demonstrated a significant hold on audiences during its second weekend in North American theaters, raking in an impressive $87 million, according to studio estimates released on Sunday. This figure marks only a 30% drop from its opening weekend, a remarkably modest decline for a blockbuster film. Additionally, it signifies Nolan's highest second weekend earnings to date when not adjusted for inflation, surpassing the $75.2 million earned by The Dark Knight in 2008.
Paul Dergarabedian, who oversees marketplace trends for Rentrak, expressed admiration for the film's performance, noting that “that would be an impressive opening weekend for any film.” He further attributed this success to the overwhelming excitement and enthusiasm that audiences are showing for Nolan's latest work. “The Odyssey” has grossed approximately $639.6 million globally, including $128.3 million from international markets. The global demand has prompted theaters worldwide to increase showtimes to accommodate viewers.
A significant portion of “The Odyssey”'s revenue is derived from premium large format screens, with IMAX yielding a staggering $48 million in earnings over the weekend. Notably, the limited 70 mm IMAX screens, of which only 41 exist globally, brought in $5.2 million, with many showings sold out through September, according to reports.
The film has enjoyed a relatively clear competitive landscape, as no major new releases emerged during its second weekend. Such an earnings drop is uncommon for films that premiere with over $100 million in ticket sales, and for R-rated films, it is only second to the records set by Deadpool & Wolverine. However, the competition is expected to increase next weekend with the release of “Spider-Man: Brand New Day,” which features actors Tom Holland and Zendaya and is projected by some analysts to achieve the biggest opening weekend of the year. Nevertheless, “The Odyssey” is expected to maintain a strong presence in theaters, particularly IMAX, for the weeks to follow.
In the rankings for the weekend, Disney's “Moana” took second place with $10.5 million, closely followed by Toy Story 5 with an impressive $10 million. The latter film has now grossed over $1 billion, marking it as Pixar's sixth film to achieve this milestone. It accumulated $448 million domestically and $573 million internationally within just five weekends.
Completing the top five was Bleecker Street's release, Hadestown: The Musical, which debuted with $9.7 million. This live stage recording of the acclaimed Broadway show retells an ancient Greek tale using folk and jazz music.
Olivia Wilde’s chamber dramedy, The Invite, continues to perform well in its platform release, earning an additional $2.6 million. The total earnings for this film now stand at $19.8 million.
This year-to-date has seen the box office tracking approximately 10% ahead of last year, with this weekend's summer total surpassing $3 billion. Historically, the summer movie season often exceeds $4 billion prior to the pandemic, with a notable exception occurring during the “Barbenheimer” event in 2023. Dergarabedian has cautiously expressed optimism about achieving similar numbers this summer, noting that “The Odyssey” and “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” may contribute significantly to a robust August.
As the summer progresses, the industry appears hopeful for ongoing success, with confidence in the staying power of both major films. “For ‘The Odyssey,’ it’s a marathon, not a sprint,” Dergarabedian remarked, suggesting that its success is poised to extend well into August.
Here are the top 10 movies based on domestic box office earnings for the weekend:
1. The Odyssey, $87 million.
2. Moana, $10.5 million.
3. Toy Story 5, $10 million.
4. Hadestown, $9.7 million.
5. The Invite, $2.6 million.
6. Evil Dead Burn, $2.6 million.
7. Young Washington, $2 million.
8. Motor City, $1.6 million.
9. Obsession, $1.5 million.
