Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has officially claimed a major box-office record, overtaking Deadpool & Wolverine to become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time.

The mythological epic has earned approximately $1.352 billion worldwide, moving just ahead of the $1.338 billion global total earned by Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine in 2024. (people.com) For Nolan, the achievement is another career milestone. The film had already surpassed The Dark Knight Rises to become his biggest global release before taking the R-rated crown. It also proves that an expensive, nearly three-hour epic based on a centuries-old poem can compete at the same global scale as modern superhero franchises.

The Odyssey Is Now the Highest Grossing Movie in R-Rated History

The record became official after The Odyssey reached around $1.352 billion in worldwide ticket sales. That pushed it past Deadpool & Wolverine, which previously held the R-rated record with approximately $1.338 billion. (people.com) Ryan Reynolds even acknowledged the change at the top, posting a humorous congratulatory message after his film lost the record.

But an important distinction needs to be made. The Odyssey is not the highest grossing movie of all time across every rating category. Its record applies specifically to R-rated films. It is also currently the second-highest-grossing worldwide release of 2026, behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day. (people.com) That still makes its performance extraordinary for a film without superheroes, a conventional modern franchise or a family-friendly rating.

A $264.1 Million Opening Set the Tone

The record-breaking run started immediately. Universal Pictures reported that Nolan’s epic earned $264.1 million worldwide during its opening weekend, including $124.5 million from the United States and Canada and $139.6 million from international markets. (reuters.com) That made it Nolan’s biggest worldwide opening without adjusting earlier films for inflation.

Variety reported that the previous benchmark belonged to The Dark Knight Rises, which opened with approximately $249 million globally in 2012. (au.variety.com) The film also benefited heavily from premium screens. IMAX contributed around $51.8 million, or roughly 20% of the opening weekend worldwide, according to IMAX and Variety. (investors.imax.com) That demand was especially significant because The Odyssey became the first feature film shot entirely using IMAX film cameras.

The Second Weekend Showed It Had Staying Power

A huge opening alone would not have been enough to break the Deadpool and Wolverine record. The film also needed audiences to keep showing up. During its second weekend, The Odyssey collected approximately $215.3 million worldwide, taking its cumulative total to $639.6 million. (au.variety.com) North American ticket sales fell by around 30%, while overseas holdover markets declined much less.

Variety described the international hold as exceptionally strong for a blockbuster that had already opened at this scale. That durability quickly turned the conversation from whether the film would reach $1 billion to whether it could challenge the biggest R rated film ever released.

The Odyssey Crossed $1 Billion in Only Three Weeks

By early August, that answer was becoming clearer. After roughly three weeks in cinemas, The Odyssey Movie had earned $429.65 million domestically and $578.8 million internationally. That put its worldwide total at $1.008 billion. (au.variety.com) It became Nolan’s first film since The Dark Knight Rises to pass $1 billion and only the third of his career to reach the milestone.

Within days, another record fell. By August 10, the film had crossed approximately $1.1 billion and surpassed The Dark Knight Rises as Nolan’s biggest film worldwide. It had also become IMAX’s highest-grossing release globally at that point. (au.variety.com) The next major target was Deadpool & Wolverine.

China Helped Push It Past Deadpool & Wolverine

The timing of the China release became important. The Odyssey did not open there until August 14, giving the film a major additional market several weeks into its global theatrical run.

The Week reported that its international performance, including new business from China, helped push the worldwide total above the previous R-rated benchmark. (theweek.in)By August 20, the race was over. The Odyssey had passed the combined global total of Deadpool & Wolverine, turning Nolan’s Homer adaptation into the highest grossing movie in R-rated box-office history. Its total has since reached around $1.352 billion and can still rise because the theatrical run is continuing.

The Odyssey Movie Cast Helped Turn an Ancient Story Into an Event

Nolan also assembled one of the biggest ensembles of his career. The The Odyssey Movie Cast is led by Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca attempting to return home after the Trojan War. Tom Holland plays Telemachus, while Anne Hathaway appears as Penelope. Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya and Charlize Theron are also among the principal stars. (universalpictures.ca) The wider cast includes Himesh Patel, Jon Bernthal, Elliot Page, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie and others. For Matt Damon, the film has also become one of the biggest theatrical successes of his career. The scale of the The Odyssey Movie Cast, combined with Nolan’s name and the promise of a large-format theatrical experience, helped turn a retelling of Homer’s poem into a summer event film.

India Turned Out Strongly for The Odyssey Movie

India was also part of that global performance. On its opening day, The Odyssey earned an estimated ₹17.4 crore net and ₹20.76 crore gross in India. India Today reported that English-language and IMAX shows were particularly strong. (indiatoday.in) Bollywood Hungama's box-office tracker later put the film's India gross above ₹170 crore during its theatrical run. (bollywoodhungama.com)

That performance fits Nolan's already strong following among Indian moviegoers. At the Mumbai premiere, Nolan himself described Indian audiences as among the world's most enthusiastic and knowledgeable cinema audiences. (indianexpress.com) There is one limitation, however. Although Indian audiences can watch the film in IMAX, no commercial cinema in the country currently has the IMAX 15/70mm projection setup required to show the entire film in the native format Nolan designed it for. (indianexpress.com)

How Much Higher Can The Odyssey Go?

At roughly $1.352 billion and counting, the new record is not necessarily its final number. The film remains in cinemas and is continuing to add revenue internationally.

It has already achieved three major milestones: Nolan’s biggest film, IMAX’s biggest global release and the highest grossing movie in R-rated history. Whatever its final tally, the comparison with Deadpool and Wolverine has now been settled at least for the moment. A Marvel superhero crossover held the record for two years. Christopher Nolan broke it with Homer, Matt Damon and a nearly three-hour journey home.