Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” recorded 40,000 admissions in Morocco during its first week in theaters following its July 15 release. It marks a particularly strong opening compared with “Michael,” the biographical film released on April 22, which is still showing in theaters and has accumulated 160,000 admissions.
“The Odyssey” is being screened in 1% of movie theaters in France, where it is expected to surpass 4 million admissions this weekend. In Morocco, the film is showing in all cinemas and has been especially successful at Pathé cinemas in Rabat and Casablanca, with 14,000 admissions at Pathé and 6,000 at Megarama. “Megarama generates 25% of what Pathé does,” said distributor Mohammed Khouna. He added that IMAX screenings are proving the most popular: “Moviegoers prefer watching it in IMAX because it offers an immersive and spectacular visual experience.”
The film is also drawing audiences in theaters without IMAX, including single-screen cinemas. According to Khouna, all theaters are requesting “The Odyssey”, including a new cinema opening on July 24 in Saïdia, in Morocco’s Oriental region.
Produced with a budget of $250 million, the film delivered one of the strongest openings of Christopher Nolan’s career, earning $264.1 million worldwide during its opening weekend.
The film’s story
Adapted from the epic attributed to Homer and composed in the 8th century BC, “The Odyssey” follows Odysseus’ long journey home after the Trojan War. Over the course of 10 years, the hero and his companions face a series of trials and mythological creatures, including the Cyclops Polyphemus, Aeolus, the master of the winds, the Sirens, and the sea monsters Charybdis and Scylla.
“The Odyssey” is regarded as one of the foundational texts of Greek civilization and one of the major works of world literature, alongside “The Iliad.” Its story has inspired numerous film adaptations, ranging from faithful interpretations such as Uberto Pasolini’s The "Return" (2024) to looser adaptations like the Coen brothers’ “O Brother, Where Art Thou?"
In “The Odyssey,” Christopher Nolan casts Matt Damon as Odysseus. The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 52 minutes and was shot in Greece, Italy, Iceland, Scotland, and Morocco. It is produced by Universal Studios and Emma Thomas. Filming used more than 600,000 meters of film stock.
Filmed in part in Morocco
For his latest feature, Christopher Nolan chose Dakhla’s White Dune as the setting for the mythical island of Ogygia. It is there that the sorceress Calypso, played by Charlize Theron, keeps Odysseus captive for seven years. During a presentation held for cinema operators, Nolan praised the Moroccan leg of the production, describing it as “a wonderful experience.”
In Morocco, executive production was handled by Zak Productions. The choice provides Morocco with significant international exposure. In recent years, the country has promoted itself as a destination for foreign film productions through the Moroccan Cinematographic Center’s cash rebate program, which can cover up to 30% of eligible production expenses incurred in the country.
Matt Damon also spoke to the international press about the particularly demanding filming conditions encountered during the production.
Filmed in part at Dakhla’s White Dune, the $250 million epic was released simultaneously in Moroccan and French theaters on July 15. Mohammed Khouna, the film’s distributor in Morocco, confirmed its strong performance both in IMAX-equipped cinemas and in other theaters.
Cast and crew
With “The Odyssey,” Christopher Nolan wrote and directed his 13th feature film. He is also the filmmaker behind “Memento,” “The Dark Knight,” “Inception,” “Interstellar,” and “Oppenheimer,” which earned him the Academy Award for Best Director.
Nolan reunited with several longtime collaborators, including cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema and composer Ludwig Göransson, who won an Academy Award for the “Oppenheimer” score.
The cast brings together several major Hollywood stars. Following “Interstellar” and “Oppenheimer,” Matt Damon reunites with Nolan to portray Odysseus. Tom Holland plays Telemachus, the hero’s son, while Anne Hathaway stars as Penelope. Charlize Theron portrays Calypso, alongside Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, and Jon Bernthal.
