Sing in me, Muse, of an epic story and a legendary filmmaker who are taking the box office by storm. Yes, a full year after advance tickets originally went on sale, director Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” is finally here.

The Greek epic, and Nolan’s follow-up to best picture winner “Oppenheimer,” has made a mighty $17.6 million in previews at the box office. It’s the best result for preview screenings of the year, surpassing the $17.5 million that “Toy Story 5” netted.

“The Odyssey” is estimated to make between $90 million and $100 million in its opening weekend, which would be Nolan’s biggest launch since “The Dark Knight Rises” racked up $160 million in 2012. However, the initial results suggest that those projections may be conservative. An opening on the higher end would make “The Odyssey” the third movie this year to hit or surpass $100 million in its debut, joining “Toy Story 5″ ($159 million) and “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” ($131 million).

In comparison, “Oppenheimer,” Nolan’s last blockbuster, made $10.5 million in previews when it opened opposite “Barbie” and sparked the “Barbenheimer” phenomenon. “Oppenheimer” powered to an $82 million opening weekend and stayed in theaters long enough to gross $975 million worldwide, thanks to stellar reviews and the buzz surrounding premium formats like Imax and 70mm screenings. “The Odyssey” is the first film shot entirely with Imax cameras and the move has created a frenzy for tickets for the company’s screens. Fans are delaying pregnancies, crossing state lines and attending 2 a.m. showings so they can witness Odysseus’s perilous journey back to Ithaca.

In the wake of “Oppenheimer,” “The Odyssey” has been generating buzz among fans since it was officially revealed that Nolan would take on the epic Greek tale. It’ll need to stick around in theaters since it carries a huge $250 million production budget, plus $125 million in marketing costs, making it one of the year’s most expensive films and the most expensive R-rated film in history. Strong reviews could help — critics have embraced the film, which currently has a 96% “fresh” rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

“The Odyssey” has another A-list cast full of Nolan collaborators and newcomers. After appearing in “Oppenheimer,” Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, who battles gods, monsters and witches on his return home. The cast also includes Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal and more.

Source: Variety

--Agencies