Christopher Nolan’s latest epic has delivered a blockbuster opening in South Africa, with The Odyssey becoming the biggest three-day IMAX opening weekend in the country’s box office history.
The Universal Pictures release, which marks Nolan’s biggest opening weekend to date both globally and locally, pulled in more than R7.7 million across its first three days in South Africa, opening on 142 cinema screens and driving sold-out shows at premium large-format venues across the country.
Globally, The Odyssey made an extraordinary US$264.1 million during its opening weekend, setting the stage for what is shaping up to be one of the year’s biggest cinematic events.
For IMAX in South Africa, the opening marked a particularly significant milestone. The Odyssey delivered the biggest three-day IMAX opening weekend ever recorded in the country, as well as the biggest IMAX opening of 2026 so far.
The response is fitting for a film designed to be experienced on the biggest screen possible. Based on Homer’s legendary epic, The Odyssey follows Odysseus on his perilous journey home after the Trojan War, encountering mythical creatures, powerful gods and seemingly impossible challenges along the way.
Matt Damon leads the film as the legendary Greek hero, joined by an all-star ensemble that includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Mia Goth, Elliot Page, John Leguizamo, Corey Hawkins and Benny Safdie.
The film is also breaking new ground behind the scenes. The Odyssey is the first feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, giving Nolan and his team the ability to capture an unprecedented level of detail and scale. For audiences, that translates into a cinematic experience built for immersion, whether watching in IMAX at Ster-Kinekor, Scene Xtreme at Nu Metro or another premium large-format cinema.
With sold-out screenings, strong word of mouth and a record-setting opening weekend behind it, The Odyssey has already established itself as one of the defining cinema experiences of 2026 — and South African audiences are clearly ready to make the journey.
The Odyssey is in cinemas nationwide now.
