Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey continues its remarkable run at the domestic box office, with industry tracking indicating the epic has crossed the $20 million mark on Tuesday to deliver the biggest Tuesday of the filmmaker’s career. While Universal has yet to announce the official figure, trade analysts expect the film to comfortably surpass the $20.86 million earned by The Dark Knight on its first Tuesday in 2008, setting a new benchmark for Nolan.
The latest achievement adds to what has already been an extraordinary theatrical run. After opening to $124.5 million domestically over the weekend, The Odyssey posted $18.68 million on Monday—the biggest Monday gross of any release this year—and carried that momentum into Tuesday with another exceptional weekday performance. Once the final number is confirmed, the film is also expected to rank as the second-biggest Tuesday of 2026, behind only Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5, while becoming Universal Pictures’ second-highest Tuesday ever, trailing only Jurassic World.
The film’s weekday performance has reinforced its status as one of the summer’s strongest theatrical events. Unlike many tentpole releases that see steep declines after opening weekend, The Odyssey has maintained impressive momentum, driven by premium-format demand and strong audience reception. Through Monday, the film had collected $142.18 million domestically after earning $50.98 million on Friday, $41.74 million on Saturday, $30.79 million on Sunday, and $18.68 million on Monday. Tuesday’s expected $20 million-plus haul would push its five-day domestic total to approximately $162 million.
The strong weekday hold has also intensified expectations for the film’s second weekend. Industry projections currently place The Odyssey between $61.8 million and $74 million, representing a decline of roughly 40% to 50% from its opening weekend. If the film finishes near the top end of those estimates, it could challenge The Dark Knight’s $75.1 million sophomore frame, which remains the strongest second weekend of Nolan’s career. Even a finish in the mid-$60 million range would surpass The Dark Knight Rises, which earned $62.1 million in its second weekend.
Premium formats continue to play a significant role in the film’s sustained success. Universal will retain all IMAX and Premium Large Format screens through the second weekend, allowing The Odyssey to capitalize on continued demand for IMAX, 70mm, and other premium presentations. The combination of sold-out premium screenings, repeat business, and strong word of mouth has enabled the epic to perform more like a long-running event film than a front-loaded blockbuster.
With another Christopher Nolan box office record all but secured and a second weekend that could challenge the director’s Batman films, The Odyssey is showing no signs of slowing down. Attention now turns to the official Tuesday figures and whether the film can carry its exceptional weekday momentum into another dominant weekend, further strengthening its position among the year’s biggest theatrical successes.
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