RESOLVING THE LEDGER
This is one outlet's own report from Forbes — the article as it was filed. Other outlets are covering the same event; open the full story to compare every source side by side.
See the full story · 4 sources
Hollywood & Entertainment ‘The Odyssey’ Sets Box Office Record For Highest-Grossing R-Rated Film By Tim Lammers ,
Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. I cover Hollywood and entertainment. Follow Author Aug 20, 2026, 02:13pm EDT --:-- / --:-- This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more . Summary Christopher Nolan's epic adaptation of Homer's *The Odyssey* has officially become the highest-grossing R-rated film worldwide, surpassing *Deadpool & Wolverine*. The film, starring Matt Damon as Odysseus on his harrowing journey home and Anne Hathaway as Penelope, achieved a global box office total of $1.352 billion. This monumental success follows its earlier milestone of crossing $1 billion by August 7, making it only the third R-rated movie ever to reach that benchmark, alongside *Deadpool & Wolverine* and *Joker*. Directed by Nolan, *The Odyssey* opened with nearly $124 million domestically and has maintained a strong theatrical run, even drawing congratulations from *Deadpool & Wolverine* star Ryan Reynolds.
Christopher Nolan’s epic adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey has surpassed Deadpool & Wolverine to become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time worldwide.
Written and directed by Nolan, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, on his harrowing, years-long journey home after the Trojan War. Anne Hathaway stars as Queen Penelope, while Tom Holland plays their son, Telemachus, and Zendaya plays the Greek goddess Athena.
The Odyssey earned nearly $124 million from 3,919 North American theaters in its opening weekend, July 17-19. By Aug. 7, The Odyssey had earned $429.65 million domestically and $578.8 million in international ticket sales to cross the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office — making it the first Nolan film since The Dark Knight Rises in 2012 to reach the box office benchmark.
Now, just over a month after The Odyssey opened in theaters worldwide, the film has reached another box office milestone. The film’s studio, Universal Pictures, announced on Thursday that The Odyssey has now grossed $1.352 billion worldwide to become the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time, surpassing Disney-Marvel’s Deadpool & Wolverine’s 2024 global take of $1.338 billion.
Deadpool & Wolverine star Ryan Reynolds didn’t take long to congratulate The Odyssey on its monumental accomplishment on X, which includes a carefully edited clip of forest scenes from both films.
When The Odyssey hit the $1 billion mark at the worldwide box office on Aug. 7, it became only the third R-rated film to do so, before inflation.
Apart from The Odyssey’s $1.338 billion (and counting) and Deadpool and Wolverine’s 1.338 billion, Joaquin Phoenix’s 2019 blockbuster Joker earned $1.078 billion.
Christopher Nolan’s 2023 Best Picture Oscar-winner, Oppenheimer , is No. 4 on the all-time global list of highest-grossing R-rated movies with a total of $975.8 million, followed by 2025’s anime smash Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle , which earned $793.4 million.
The Odyssey held the No. 1 spot at the domestic box office in its first two weeks of release and has been a strong second to Tom Holland’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day in weeks 3, 4 and 5.
Also starring Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, Himesh Patel, Jon Bernthal, Elliot Page, John Leguizamo, Mia Goth, Benny Safdie, Corey Hawkins, James Remar and the voice of Bill Irwin, The Odyssey is still playing in 3,217 North American theaters.
AIPROPX is an independent multi-source news index — we track, compare, and connect coverage from across the web into one place you won't find anywhere else.