The Odyssey has conquered the Australian box office, with Christopher Nolan’s mythic action epic opening at #1 and grossing $13,442,644 from Thursday to Sunday.
The Universal Pictures release is now the biggest Australian opening weekend of 2026 for any film. It also ranks as Universal’s third-biggest Australian opening weekend of all time, behind Jurassic World and Fast & Furious 7.
For Australian cinemas, the result is a major big-screen story. It shows that audiences are still willing to turn out in huge numbers for event films, especially when premium formats, 70mm presentations and Nolan’s name are part of the draw.
A Record Nolan Opening
Universal says the opening gives Nolan his biggest Australian debut for an original film. It is also his second-biggest Australian opening overall, behind The Dark Knight Rises, which opened with $15.1 million in 2012.
The film played across 321 locations nationwide over the weekend. Sessions covered traditional screens, luxury cinemas, IMAX, 4DX and special 70mm film presentations.
Universal says 16,888 sessions have been programmed across the film’s first week of release, as exhibitors respond to audience demand.
Mike Baard, Managing Director, Universal Pictures International Australasia, said the Australian response had been extraordinary, adding that early demand was “unlike anything we had seen for an original film in some time”.
Premium Formats Drive Demand
Traditional cinema screens accounted for 82% of the film’s Australian box office. Premium and film-format screenings, including IMAX, IMAX 70mm, 70mm and 4DX, accounted for the remaining 18%.
Seven Australian locations are showing The Odyssey on 70mm, including one IMAX 70mm presentation in Melbourne.
The Australian result follows a record opening day for the film. Universal says The Odyssey grossed $2.35 million on Thursday, making it the biggest opening day of 2026 and Universal’s biggest Australian opening day for an original film.
The film has also opened strongly overseas, with Universal reporting a US$264 million global launch. Key markets including China, Japan and South Korea are still to open.
The Odyssey is in cinemas now.
Visit the official The Odyssey movie site for public film information.
For more Movie Previews, visit TV Central.
