Nolan’s “The Odyssey” Docks Atop the Weekend Box Office

While there was some concern when it came to what the numbers would look like due to certain casting choices and the related online discussions spanning months, it seems that Christopher Nolan had nothing to worry about because The Odyssey managed to debut big atop the weekend box office.

Directed by Christopher Nolan, from a screenplay by Nolan (based on Homer’s Odyssey), I have to say I was a bit “Meh!” about Nolan’s creative decisions after watching the teaser trailer. The footage felt a bit too muted to me. Not only that, but it was clear that Nolan was going for a more grounded take when tackling an iconic epic that involved Gods and monsters.

But having watched the movie, I will say that while my initial gripes still exist, The Odyssey is a well-made film that is ready for a strong award campaign down the line. Not only that, but the studio is also looking toward making a whole lot of money at the box office.

An estimated $124.5 million debut shows that the general audience is here to support Nolan’s take on Homer’s Odyssey regardless of the muted colors and the more “realistic” take. The worldwide numbers currently stand at around $264 million, against a reported production budget of $250 million. It might not hit $1 billion during its theatrical run. But The Odyssey is on track to profit Universal Pictures and continue cementing Nolan’s name as one of the greatest directors of our time.

There’s a lot I enjoyed about The Odyssey. Matt Damon just works as Odysseus. Damon’s got the “strong-yet-tired” persona of his “heroic” character down pat. I also enjoyed the explanation behind why Athena appeared as Zendaya. The sequences involving Circe and the Cyclops featured well-crafted body horror. And while I found the movie to be a bit slow in the beginning, the third act brought everything together in an intense and satisfying manner.

You can watch my review in the video below!

As for the rest of the Top 10 at the weekend box office, second place was taken by Moana. The live-action adaptation fell approximately 56% from the first week to collect an estimated $19 million. I mean, just look at the difference in money between the top and second films on the list. Yeah, the 2026 summer box office isn’t going too well.

With a reported production budget of $250 million, Moana is unlikely to turn a profit for Disney, especially with how the current worldwide haul sits at only $178.5 million. Let’s see if Dwayne Johnson can get people to come support him at the box office when Jumanji: Open World premieres December 25, 2026.

Animated offerings Minions and Monsters and Toy Story 5 took third and fourth positions, respectively, with both coming in at around $14.8 million each. With the global numbers being $958.4 million, Toy Story 5 is quite close to hitting the coveted $1 billion milestone. Regardless if it gets there or not, the highly enjoyable Toy Story 5 is a resounding success.

July 17, 2026 – July 19, 2026 Weekend Box Office

1. The Odyssey – $124.5 million
2. Moana – $19 million
3. Minions and Monsters – $14.8 million
4. Toy Story 5 – $14.8 million
5. Evil Dead Burn – $5 million
6. The Invite – $3.9 million
7. Young Washington – $3.6 million
8. Obsession – $2.5 million
9. Supergirl – $1.5 million
10. Disclosure Day – $1.4 million

Did you watch The Odyssey? What did you think of it?

Let us know.

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(via Box Office Mojo)

Author: Farid-ul-Haq

Farid has a Double Masters in Psychology and Biotechnology as well as an M.Phil in Molecular Genetics. He is the author of numerous books including Missing in Somerville, and The Game Master of Somerville. He gives us insight into comics, books, TV shows, anime/manga, video games, and movies.

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