The Odyssey has overtaken Deadpool & Wolverine to become the highest grossing R-rated film of all time. According to figures compiled by the Numbers, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic poem has achieved $1.35bn (£990m) at the worldwide box office, compared with the Ryan Reynolds/Hugh Jackman superhero movie, which stands at $1.34bn (£980m) since its release in 2024. A R-rating as designated by the Motion Picture Association requires anyone under 17 to be accompanied by an adult, and is normally seen as a brake on box office expectations.
In its citation, the MPA said The Odyssey was given an R-rating “for violence and some language”. In the UK, The Odyssey has been rated 15 for “strong violence”, while in Australia it has an M-rating for “mature themes, violence and coarse language”. Other R-rated features to do well include Nolan’s previous film Oppenheimer, which benefited from the “Barbenheimer” craze to amass $983m worldwide, the Joaquin Phoenix-starring Joker ($1.1bn), and the two standalone Deadpool movies ($782m and $786m respectively).
The figures also indicate that non-US audiences have a healthier interest in The Odyssey; Deadpool & Wolverine is still ahead at the North American box office, having accrued $637m against The Odyssey’s $516m. However, The Odyssey’s figures could well rise significantly as it is currently in the middle of a box office battle with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has already taken more than $2bn worldwide, becoming the second fastest film to do so (after Avengers: Endgame in 2019).
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