Universal/Syncopy’s “The Odyssey” is turning in a phenomenal second weekend at the box office, earning $25.9 million on Friday as estimates point to an $84.5 million domestic total for this frame, dropping just 32% from the film’s $123.5 million opening.
With a hold this strong, “The Odyssey” is set to fly past the $500 million mark worldwide before it even hits theaters in South Korea, China and Japan. At this pace, a $1 billion global total is guaranteed, and how it holds next weekend against Sony/Marvel’s mega blockbuster “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” will determine whether or not “The Odyssey” could pass the $1.33 billion global total of “Deadpool & Wolverine” to become the unadjusted highest grossing R-rated film of all time.
This second weekend total also exceeds the $82.4 million domestic opening of Christopher Nolan’s previous film, “Oppenheimer,” in 2023. With an estimated 10-day domestic total of $283.2 million, “The Odyssey” is a staggering 62% ahead of the pace of “Oppenheimer” and should pass that film’s $330 million North American run by next Sunday.
With no major new films coming out this weekend to avoid getting smothered by Odysseus and Spider-Man, “The Odyssey” is accounting for an estimated 60% of all North American grosses this weekend.
The sole newcomer in the top 5 this weekend is another adaptation of a classic Greek tale: Bleecker Street’s “Hadestown,” a limited engagement proshot presentation of the Tony-winning Broadway adaptation of the tragedy of Orpheus and Eurydice. Industry estimates have “Hadestown” earning $9 million from 1,949 locations, placing fifth on this weekend’s charts.