The Odyssey Surpasses The Dark Knight Rises as Nolan’s Top-Grossing Film

Christopher Nolan has solidified his reputation as a powerhouse in Hollywood, and his latest film, *The Odyssey*, has taken that to new heights. This weekend, it became Nolan’s highest-grossing film ever, surpassing $1.1 billion at the global box office and edging out *The Dark Knight Rises*, which earned $1.08 billion (not adjusted for inflation).

What’s even more impressive is that *The Odyssey* is still going strong. It has shown remarkable staying power, pulling in $110 million domestically in its fourth weekend with a minimal drop in ticket sales. Plus, it hasn’t even debuted in China yet, which is a significant market for films.

With a total worldwide box office gross exceeding $7 billion, Nolan now ranks as the third highest-grossing director of all time, trailing only behind James Cameron and Steven Spielberg. While this ranking doesn’t account for inflation, it’s an impressive achievement, especially considering Nolan likely has more films in the pipeline.

*The Odyssey* also set another record this weekend by becoming the highest-grossing IMAX release ever, raking in $289 million and surpassing *Avatar*’s $271 million. Notably, 14% of that IMAX revenue has come from 70mm screenings, a remarkable feat given that only 41 theaters worldwide can show that format. The film’s strong performance in IMAX and 70mm has undoubtedly contributed to its box office longevity. Additionally, *The Odyssey* is now the second highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, just behind *Deadpool* and *Wolverine*, which earned $1.3 billion, a milestone it could potentially surpass.

Alongside *Spider-Man: Brand New Day*, which has already grossed $1.67 billion, *The Odyssey* is helping to revitalize the film industry in 2026. The domestic box office is on track for a $10 billion year, the first since before the COVID-19 pandemic. *Spider-Man: Brand New Day* is also in the running to become the first film to hit $1 billion domestically and the first to reach $3 billion globally. Beyond the blockbusters, several independent films like *Obsession* and *Backrooms* have exceeded expectations, earning significantly more than their budgets. It seems the notion of cinema’s demise was greatly exaggerated.

Nolan’s latest has garnered near-universal acclaim from both audiences and critics.