Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has stormed past another milestone. The film now sits less than $1 million behind Barbie’s global box office total, a feat Nolan’s previous blockbuster Oppenheimer never managed to pull off.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is just $1 million away from beating Barbie
The Odyssey has already made history as the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever, surpassing Deadpool & Wolverine. It has also become Nolan’s biggest hit, beating The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises both at home and abroad. After a month in theaters worldwide, the epic has earned $1.446 billion globally. Barbie finished its 2023 run with $1.447 billion.
The milestone carries extra weight given the history between Nolan and Barbie. In 2023, Oppenheimer became a cultural phenomenon through the Barbenheimer craze, yet despite its impressive $976 million worldwide gross, it fell short of Barbie’s $1.44 billion total. Now, Nolan’s follow-up appears poised to claim victory over the pink powerhouse within a day or two (via Box Office Mojo).
Starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, and Robert Pattinson, The Odyssey is Nolan’s grounded take on Homer’s Greek epic. The director nearly tackled similar material over two decades ago when attached to Troy, but chose Batman Begins instead. His new movie has grossed nearly three times as much as Troy at the global box office.
Like Oppenheimer, which opened against Barbie, The Odyssey has faced stiff competition from Spider-Man: Brand New Day throughout most of its run. Yet the rivalry appears to have fueled audience interest rather than diminished it. The film currently holds a Certified Fresh 94% critics score and a Verified Hot 97% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes, with the consensus praising Nolan’s vision.
With domestic earnings of $539 million and international receipts topping $907 million, The Odyssey has already become Universal Pictures’ crown jewel of 2026. The $250 million production has given returns exceeding five times its budget, positioning it as both a commercial juggernaut and a likely Oscar contender in several major categories.
Originally reported by Devanshi Basu on ComingSoon.net.
