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The Odyssey took in $264.1 million globally its opening weekend.
The ancient epic pulled in $124.5 million at the domestic box office (U.S. and Canada), making it the filmmaker's biggest debut since 2012's The Dark Knight Rises.
BetOnline has the film favored to win for "Best Picture" Oscar at -155 though blockbuster adventure epics winning an Academy Award are extremely rare.
OAKLAND PARK, Fla (Gambling911.com) - Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey dominated the box office with an explosive $264.1 million global opening, according to the Associated Press.
The ancient epic pulled in $124.5 million at the domestic box office (U.S. and Canada), making it the filmmaker's biggest debut since 2012's The Dark Knight Rises.
The film’s unprecedented domestic debut easily secured it the number one spot at the weekend box office. It eclipsed the debut of his previous film, Oppenheimer. According to the Associated Press, the blockbuster is "the first commercial feature filmed completely in IMAX.
The film is widely expected to win "Best Picture" at next year's Oscars, though we know how these things typically go.
It's relatively uncommon for a blockbuster adventure film to win in the "Best Picture" category. The Academy has historically favored dramas, historical films, and character-driven stories over large-scale adventure epics. That said, several epic blockbusters have won Best Picture.
Some examples include:
- Ben-Hur (1959) – Won Best Picture and a then-record 11 Oscars. It's one of the greatest historical adventure epics ever made.
- Titanic (1997) – Won Best Picture and tied the record with 11 Oscars. A sweeping historical romance and disaster epic.
- Gladiator (2000) – Won Best Picture, reviving the swords-and-sandals epic for modern audiences.
The prediction markets are giving The Odyssey a 53% chance of winning an Oscar for "Best Picture".
BetOnline currently has The Odyssey winning priced at -155. Dune Part 3 has the next shortest odds at 5-1.
Odysseus, king of Ithaca, embarks on a perilous journey to return home after the Trojan War. Crossing the Mediterranean Sea with his fellow soldiers, they soon find themselves battling not only the elements, but an array of deadly obstacles and mythical creatures along the way.
Its Rotten Tomatoes score was an unprecedented 97%.
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- Jordan Bach, Gambling911.com
