“The Odyssey” is off to an epic start at the box office.

The Universal action adventure generated $264.1 million globally over the weekend, including $139.6 million internationally and $124.5 million domestically. It’s an impressive debut for an R-rated film, nearly three hours long and not part of a major franchise. Of course, “The Odyssey” is not original (it is adapted from a roughly 3,000-year-old epic poem by Homer), but the film’s initial success is a testament to Nolan’s enormous popularity as a filmmaker. He’s been a box office hit for a long time, having directed blockbusters like “The Dark Knight” trilogy, “Inception,” “Dunkirk” and “Interstellar.” But Nolan reached new levels of acclaim after 2023’s “Oppenheimer” became a box office juggernaut and won the Oscar for best picture.

“The Odyssey” marks the biggest worldwide opening of Nolan’s career, ahead of 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises” with $249 million and 2009’s “The Dark Knight” with $198 million (this benchmark comes with a caveat because ticket sales were not adjusted for inflation). It is also the third-biggest opening of the year behind “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” ($372.5 million) and “Toy Story 5.” ($312 million).

Nolan wrote and directed “The Odyssey,” starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, the king of Ithaca, who endures a treacherous journey to return home after the Trojan War. Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Elliot Page, Jon Bernthal and John Leguizamo complete the stellar cast. With stellar reviews and great word of mouth, “The Odyssey” is primed for a long, long run in theaters. Universal is backing the film with a budget of $250 million.

“The Odyssey” premiered in 73 international markets, with notable territories including the United Kingdom and Ireland with $17.4 million, France with $13.7 million and Italy with $11.5 million. “The Odyssey” is Nolan’s biggest debut in 48 of those territories, including France and Italy, as well as Universal’s biggest debut in 11 markets. The film has not yet been released in South Korea, China or Japan.

“With ‘The Odyssey,’ we had the extraordinary opportunity to unite moviegoers around the world around a story that has resonated across cultures for centuries. Christopher Nolan’s passion, vision and unique cinematic voice consistently drive anticipation and attendance on a truly global scale. He, along with the force that is Emma Thomas, continues to set the standard for ambitious and event filmmaking,” said Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, president of distribution, Universal Pictures International. “‘The Odyssey’ is that rare kind of film that brings together audiences from all markets in a shared cultural moment.”

“The Odyssey” stands out as the first feature film shot entirely with Imax cameras, and those large premium formats contributed a considerable portion of the initial ticket sales. The film grossed $22.2 million internationally (16% of revenue) and $51.8 million worldwide (23% of revenue) in Imax, marking the company’s biggest opening in comparable markets before “Avengers: Endgame.” And it’s currently 47% ahead of “Oppenheimer,” which was particularly huge in Imax with $35 million worldwide at the start and $180 million at the end of its run.

“If you don’t see ‘The Odyssey’ on Imax, you’re not seeing it the way Chris Nolan intended,” says the company’s CEO, Richard Gelfond. He called this weekend a “transcendent moment” for Imax, predicting that the ripple effect of “The Odyssey” will lead to “more Imax theaters opening and more audiences seeking out” the format.