adminLONDON: “The Odyssey” has overtaken “Jurassic World” as the highest-grossing Universal Pictures film of all time just months after its release, reports PA Media/dpa.
The blockbuster film, which was released on July 17, is an adaptation of Homer’s ancient Greek epic and stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek King of Ithaca, on a perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan War.
The critically acclaimed film grossed more than US$1.677 billion worldwide, surpassing the 2015 adventure “Jurassic World” to become Universal’s highest-grossing film to date.
“Jurassic World”, starring Chris Pratt and Bryce Dallas Howard, grossed an estimated US$1.671 billion worldwide during its theatrical run.
“The Odyssey” is expected to gross US$1.685 billion worldwide this weekend, making it the 12th highest-grossing film of all time and the third highest-grossing non-franchise film of all time.
It is also the highest-grossing film of Christopher Nolan’s career after earning over US$1 billion at the global box office less than a month after its release.
Nolan, 56, wrote and directed “The Odyssey,” as well as producing the film with his wife Emma Thomas.
NBCUniversal Entertainment Chairman Donna Langley said: “What Chris and Emma have created will be remembered as some of the most ambitious and brilliantly executed films in the history of cinema.
“A generational phenomenon that is reviving the experience of watching movies in the cinema.”
Nolan, an Oscar-winning filmmaker, has directed blockbusters such as “Tenet,” “Dunkirk” and “Interstellar,” as well as the 2012 Batman film “The Dark Knight Rises,” which previously became the highest-grossing film of his career.
“The Odyssey” is a three-hour epic film featuring an all-star cast including Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Lupita Nyong’o, Tom Holland and Zendaya.
The blockbuster film debuted at the top of the charts worldwide upon its release and remained at that position for two consecutive weekends in both domestic and international markets.
The film recently returned to the top spot globally in its eighth week of release.
“The Odyssey” is also one of three Universal films to gross US$1 billion worldwide this year, along with “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” and “Michael”.
“The Odyssey” reportedly had a production budget of US$250 million, not including marketing costs, making it one of the most expensive films of Nolan’s career.
— BERNAMA-PA MEDIA/dpa
