The Odyssey breaks records with massive U.K. debut
Universal's "The Odyssey" broke records with a £12.5 million ($16.8 million) U.K. and Ireland opening weekend, topping the chart and posting Christopher Nolan's second-biggest launch there. Premium formats powered the debut, including the biggest Friday of the year and a historic BFI Imax three-day weekend.
When 8216the odyssey8217 breaks records, the story is usually about scale—and this debut delivered. Universal's tentpole seized the No. 1 spot across the U.K. and Ireland, according to Variety, in a weekend that reshaped the local box office calendar.
Key Takeaways
- "The Odyssey" opened to £12.5 million ($16.8 million) and finished No. 1 in the U.K. and Ireland.
- The debut is Christopher Nolan's second-biggest opening in the market, ahead of "Oppenheimer."
- It logged the biggest opening Friday of the year and Universal's fifth-biggest opening Friday ever.
- The BFI Imax set a three-day weekend record with $294,249, beating "Star Wars: The Last Jedi."
- Disney's "Toy Story 5" and live-action "Moana" placed second and third.
How big was The Odyssey's U.K. and Ireland opening?
The film stormed the market with a £12.5 million ($16.8 million) debut weekend, capturing the top spot in a major tentpole shift. Variety reported that the performance ranks as Nolan's second-biggest opening frame in the territory, landing well ahead of "Oppenheimer."
That haul also delivered the biggest opening Friday of the year. It further ranked as Universal's fifth-biggest opening Friday on record, underscoring how strongly audiences turned out on day one.
Why did Imax and premium formats matter?
Demand on premium large formats was the engine behind the historic frame. The BFI Imax—the U.K.'s largest screen—reported its highest three-day opening weekend in history, taking in $294,249 from the single venue.
That total broke the previous all-time BFI Imax weekend record held by "Star Wars: The Last Jedi" ($289,682) in 2017. "Oppenheimer" now sits third with $277,936. To date, the London site alone has logged over 82,000 admissions, generating $2.9 million in ticket sales at a 94% occupancy rate, with 173 consecutive sold-out showtimes. That makes "The Odyssey" the venue's third highest-grossing title of all time.
What else ranked in the U.K. and Ireland top 10?
Disney claimed second place as "Toy Story 5" brought in $2.2 million in its fifth weekend, lifting its five-week cume to $60.6 million. Live-action "Moana" took third in its sophomore session with $2 million, for a running total of $7.4 million.
Universal's "Minions & Monsters" placed fourth with $1.5 million in its third week ($12.5 million cume). Studiocanal's "Evil Dead Burn" was fifth with $406,258 ($2.2 million total). Black Bear's "The Invite," Universal's "Obsession," Warner Bros.' "Supergirl," Spielberg's "Disclosure Day," and Paramount's "Jackass: Best and Last" rounded out sixth through 10th.
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