With The Odyssey now in cinemas, the team behind Christopher Nolan’s latest epic can finally take stock of a massive opening run at the box office.
The film opened on July 17, 2026, and has already pulled in around $639.6 million worldwide after its first two weekends, according to studio estimates. Its second weekend brought in $215.3 million globally, while its North American total reached $286.4 million.
For Matt Damon, however, the scale of the production came with a personal downside. The actor, who has a leading role in the film, previously explained that making The Odyssey kept him away from home for longer than he was comfortable with.
That was especially notable because Damon has long spoken about his family’s “two-week rule”, under which they try not to spend more than a fortnight apart. Speaking to the Guardian in 2012, he said they “can’t be apart as a family for longer” than that.
During the promotion for The Odyssey, he admitted the new film pushed well past that limit.
“There was like stretches of like three and a half weeks, and we were just away from each other.”
Damon said the extended time away was difficult for everyone involved, even if he views the experience as one of the most important of his career.
“It was hard on us, and I’m so proud of the movie, but I’m so proud of them for really encouraging me.
“I feel like my whole professional life built up to this experience, and they really were really on board with me doing it, and I love them for that.”
His wife, Luciana Damon, and their daughters Alexia, 27, Isabella, 20, Gia, 17, and Stella, 15, were by his side at the London premiere of The Odyssey on July 14, 2026 — something he clearly appreciated after the demands of production.
“It’s great because they had to sacrifice a lot too for this.”
“I went away for a while, they came and visited, but it was a lot. It was a very long movie, very grueling shoot, and I’m really excited for my girls to see it tonight.”
Damon also spoke candidly during the press tour about how emotional it was to see his children at the premiere, especially as they are now much older.
“They’re all having fun while I’m working, but I’m so happy they’re here.”
“Everybody’s so grown up. Like, I got a real dad teary moment seeing them today.”
He said watching his children reach adulthood has been a lot to take in, even if the feeling is ultimately a happy one.
“Yeah, it’s a lot. It’s wonderful, but it’s a lot.”
Before the film’s release, Damon also said he intended to carve out some family time before moving fully into whatever comes next.
“My decompression already happened.”
“But we’re going to Europe, we’re going to do premieres in Mumbai, Beijing and Seoul. It’s a big push.”
Key facts about The Odyssey
Written: Sometime between 725 BC and 675 BC, meaning it was first composed more than 2,500 years ago.
Based on a true story? Largely no — cyclops are not real, and historians still debate whether the Trojan War actually took place.
Who wrote The Odyssey? Homer is traditionally credited, although scholars still argue over who he was and whether the work may have come from more than one poet.
How long is the movie? 2 hours and 52 minutes.
How much did The Odyssey cost to make? Around $250 million.
The Odyssey’s box office performance so far: $639.6 million globally after its first two weekends.
How long did it take to film The Odyssey? Principal photography lasted 91 days, or about 13 weeks.
Where was the movie filmed? The production was shot across several countries. In Greece, the Hellenic Film Commission said Nolan and the crew worked in the Peloponnese at locations including Nestor’s Cave, Voidokilia Beach and Almyrolaka Beach on Pylos, as well as Methoni Castle in the southwestern port town of the same name, and Acrocorinth, the monolith above ancient Corinth.
Vogue also reported filming in Morocco, including Marrakech, Tahanaoute, El Haouz, Essaouira and Ouarzazate. The cast and crew were additionally seen on the Sicilian island of Favignana, while Iceland was used for the underworld sequences.
The European schedule also included Scotland, with scenes shot along the Moray Firth Coast and at Findlater Castle and Culbin Forest.
The Odyssey in IMAX 70mm vs normal cinema screens: The film’s official website compares the trailer across six formats, each with a different aspect ratio. That gives viewers a direct look at the difference between IMAX 70mm — of which there are only 25 screens in the US — and standard 35mm presentation.
The Odyssey is in cinemas now.