The Odyssey claims record for biggest R-rated debut of 2026

The Odyssey has opened to $264 million (£196 million) globally, breaking multiple records.

The Christopher Nolan-helmed historical action epic has taken the title of biggest R-rated debut of 2026, Nolan's highest global opening ever, and Universal's largest R-rated launch in history.

Nolan's homeland of the UK led the charge with $17.4 million (£13 million), Deadline reports, and that's despite the distraction of Sunday's FIFA World Cup Final.

Of the top global openings year-to-date, it's the best performance for a live-action movie by some margin, taking third spot overall behind The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Toy Story 5.

For lead actor Matt Damon, it marks his biggest US domestic opening ever, surpassing The Bourne Ultimatum.

Damon stars as Odysseus, the legendary King of Ithaca, as he spends 10 gruelling years trying to return home to his wife, Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway, and his son, Telemachus, played by Tom Holland, after the fall of Troy.

"With The Odyssey, we had the extraordinary opportunity to unite moviegoers worldwide around a story that has resonated across cultures for centuries," said Universal President of Distribution, Veronika Kwan Vandenberg. "The Odyssey is that rare kind of movie that brings audiences together across every market in a shared cultural moment."

The highly anticipated film has an estimated break-even point between $625 million and $750 million (£465 million and £558 million) globally.