Nolan's The Odyssey earns $264m amid location controversy

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has generated $264m in global opening weekend grosses, establishing the $250m production as the summer’s definitive commercial force. The film is positioned to dominate the box office for weeks, facing little direct competition from other major releases aside from Spider-Man: Brand New Day.

For European economies, the film's production underscores the continent’s enduring status as an essential backdrop for high-budget Hollywood cinema. Nolan utilised the diverse landscapes of Greece, Italy, Malta, Scotland and Iceland to depict ancient Ithaca and the underworld. The decision to shoot in Iceland’s black sands under the midnight sun provided a distinct visual atmosphere for the hero’s journey.

The film's heavy reliance on tangible locations over digital effects brought significant logistical spending to these regions. Ocean sequences were filmed in actual Mediterranean seas rather than against green screens, utilising the Draken Harald Hårfagre, the world’s only functional Viking ship. A replica of the vessel was also built for use in a massive water tank.

Yet the production’s geographic choices have also sparked a public debate about the ethics of location scouting. In addition to the European shoots, Nolan filmed in Western Sahara, a territory controlled by Morocco but classified by the UN as a non-decolonised territory. “Audiences coming to see The Odyssey deserve better,” Mohamed Sleiman Labat wrote in a recent essay. “Those cinematic shots sold to them as the places and moments where historical epics took place were captured at the expense of the Sahrawi people’s suffering.”

Technically, the film pushes large-format cinema, a sector where European audiences have historically provided strong support. Nolan shot with half a dozen Imax cameras enclosed in soundproof "blimp" casings. The crew also collaborated with an LED company to build custom “pyrohedrons” to simulate realistic firelight for night-time interiors.

The robust opening weekend sets the stage for a significant awards campaign. Coming off Oppenheimer’s seven Oscar wins in 2024, Nolan holds considerable leverage within the Academy. The film is widely expected to secure nominations for best picture, best director, and numerous craft categories, with Samantha Morton earning early praise for her scene-stealing role as the witch Circe.