The Odyssey’ Holds Strong Worldwide, Cume Near $640M; ‘Toy Story 5’ Third Pic YTD To Cross $1B

The global box office is experiencing a massive wave of enduring hits, anchored by high-end premium formats and rare multi-week staying power. As studios vie for dominance during the summer slate, tentpole releases are defying traditional box office decay rates by holding onto audiences week after week.

The Odyssey Dominates Global and Premium Large Formats in Second Weekend

Universal’s The Odyssey continues its formidable box office run, dipping just 18% globally in its second weekend with $215.3M following a $263.7M WW opening, Deadline reports. In North America, the adaptation of Homer’s epic poem starring Matt Damon as the Greek king Odysseus pulled in an estimated $87 million from 3,943 theaters, marking a modest 30% drop from its $123.5 million debut, Variety notes.

That sophomore hold is a rarity for big-budget tentpoles that typically tumble 50% or more in their second frame. It is particularly striking given the film’s R rating, which limits audiences under 18. The turnout marks the second-biggest sophomore outing for an R-rated movie behind Disney’s Deadpool & Wolverine, which earned $96 million in its second weekend.

Gross added that The Odyssey is showing that kind of holding power. After two weekends in theaters, the big-budget adaptation has grossed $286.4 million domestically and $639.6 million globally.

Imax and 70mm Screen Dominance Drive Record-Breaking Engagement

A major driver behind the film’s financial strength is its heavy reliance on premium formats. The Odyssey is the first feature shot entirely with high-tech Imax cameras, a format normally reserved for select action sequences due to the bulky and loud nature of the equipment.

So far, Imax has driven $140M globally, accounting for 53% of the overseas total and splitting into $78 million domestically and $62 million internationally. Furthermore, Imax reported that the movie collected $48M WW from its screens over the sophomore frame alone, marking the highest-grossing sophomore weekend in Imax history and the third highest-grossing global weekend for the format of all time.

Enthusiasm is especially intense for the format’s coveted 70mm screens. With only 41 such screens operating worldwide, the 70mm engagements brought in $5.2 million over the weekend for a running cume near $16.9 million. Cinephiles eager to experience Christopher Nolan’s preferred format have driven ticket sales so high that most showtimes remain sold out into September.

Gelfond added, Our results indicate that audiences around the world will line up to experience this one-of-a-kind film in Imax for weeks, if not months, to come.

Toy Story 5 Crosses $1 Billion and Claims Crown as Highest-Grossing Movie of the Year

While live-action epics command premium formats, animation continues to shatter milestones. Disney and Pixar’s Toy Story 5 crossed the $1 billion milestone, capturing the title of highest-grossing movie of the year globally at $1.022B, with $573.5M abroad and $448.6M domestic.

The animated fivequel achieved the feat in its sixth outing, adding $10 million from 3,375 domestic theaters for a minimal 27% drop. It stands as Disney’s first movie of the year to cross $1 billion and ranks as the sixth Pixar movie of all time, sitting behind Inside Out 2 ($1.69B), Incredibles 2 ($1.24B), Toy Story 4 ($1.07B), Toy Story 3 ($1.06B), and Finding Dory ($1.029B).

Universal is also approaching a milestone of its own. The studio is poised to boast three movies crossing $1 billion globally, following Michael ($1.015B) and Super Mario Galaxy Movie ($1.011B).

Mythology Resonates Across Formats With Hadestown and Moana

Greek mythology inspired more than just Christopher Nolan’s blockbuster over the weekend. Hadestown: The Musical, a filmed version of the Broadway show, delivered a strong debut of $9.6 million across 1,949 theaters. Following positive reviews and public demand, distributors Crosswalk and LD Entertainment, alongside Bleecker Street, are extending the five-day theatrical run with plans to add new dates and showtimes.

By comparison, Disney’s live-action Moana earned 10.5 million from 4,015 locations in its third weekend—a 40% decline—bringing its totals to $102.5 million domestically and $228.2 million worldwide against a $250 million production budget.

International Footprint and Upcoming Box Office Tests

The Odyssey is setting international benchmarks outside of North America as well. In Italy, it secured the biggest second weekend of all time for a Hollywood movie, capturing $10.5M and 88% of the weekend market. Across Europe and Latin America, the film is consistently outperforming the lifetime earnings of Christopher Nolan’s previous projects like Dunkirk and Interstellar, while tracking ahead of Oppenheimer and The Dark Knight Rises at identical points in their releases.

Exhibitors are now looking ahead to the arrival of Sony’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day, starring Tom Holland and Zendaya. While tracking estimates place the opening at $195M in the U.S. and Canada, with rivals predicting a $250M U.S./Canada start, theater owners remain optimistic that the combination of multiple enduring hits will successfully propel the typically slow month of August.