Nolan’s The Odyssey sails toward a blockbuster $80M-$100M opening weekend

Here we go again – Christopher Nolan is back doing what Christopher Nolan does best, which, apparently, is making some of the only proper blockbusters left standing. 'The Odyssey' isn’t even out for another three weeks, but the advance number crunchers are already pencilling in a frankly massive $80–100 million opening in North America alone. There’s clearly no shortage of pent-up anticipation for a nearly three-hour take on ancient Greek poetry, and it doesn’t have to elbow Barbie out of the way this time either.

Big Numbers (and No Barbie in Sight)

You might remember when 'Oppenheimer' kicked off with $82.4 million, but of course, that one piggybacked on the unlikely Barbenheimer double-bill craze. This time, Nolan’s actually got a clear runway, so unless everyone’s suddenly decided to boycott the classics, 'The Odyssey' is basically walking into an empty cinema and helping itself to the popcorn. Even with its near three-hour runtime (2 hours and 52 minutes, so remember to pace yourself on the Diet Coke), it’s clearly not scaring off the punters.

Like 'Oppenheimer', it’s got an R-rating, not that that's ever slowed Nolan down before.

Curious Choices: No Influencer Screenings

Slightly odd move from Universal: they’re skipping influencer screenings for 'The Odyssey' altogether. Apparently, they’re not too bothered about TikTok and Instagram types getting in early. Could be a veiled sign of confidence, or possibly they’re just as tired of sponsored squealing as the rest of us.

The Most Ridiculous Cast List You’ll See This Year

You can pretty much chuck a dart at a wall of Hollywood headshots and have a decent chance of hitting someone from the 'Odyssey' cast. Here’s who’s in this thing:

• Matt Damon
• Tom Holland
• Anne Hathaway
• Charlize Theron
• Jon Bernthal
• Robert Pattinson
• Mia Goth
• Zendaya
• Elliot Page
• John Leguizamo
• Samantha Morton
• Ryan Hurst
• Logan Marshall-Green
• Lupita Nyong'o
• Josh Stewart
• Benny Safdie
• Corey Hawkins
• Elyes Gabel

In other words, if you can name a popular actor under 60 who’s not in a Marvel or DC suit this summer, chances are Nolan’s got them rowing a trireme or wrestling a cyclops.

What the Cast – and Especially Tom Holland – Say

Now, Tom Holland’s not exactly a man known for keeping spoilers under wraps, but even he’s struggling to keep the excitement down this time. He’s been calling 'The Odyssey' a 'masterpiece', and insisted, 'I’m taking myself out of that equation. Chris Nolan’s movie is fantastic. It’s unlike anything that I’ve ever seen before. I think when I saw the movie, I found myself asking a question that I haven’t asked about a movie for a long time, which is, ‘How did you do that?’'

He was apparently so desperate to be a part of it he even went and asked Sony to shuffle their Spider-Man schedule just so he could get involved. Not often you’ll hear Spidey begging for a bit of Greek tragedy, but here we are.

Right, But Is This Actually That 'Odyssey'?

For anyone who didn’t get battered with Homer in secondary school, Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' is absolutely about that 'Odyssey' – so Odysseus, ancient Greece, gods, monsters, ten years of being harassed by angry immortals and terrible weather on the way home from the Trojan War. Main highlights: the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens luring men to their doom, and Circe the witch-goddess, who usually isn’t great news for anyone. Meanwhile, back at the ranch, Odysseus’s wife Penelope and his son Telemachus are stuck fending off a bunch of suitors who want both Penelope and Odysseus’s kingdom for themselves.

'The Odyssey' opens in cinemas 17th July.