‘The Odyssey’ gives Nolan second 10-million blockbuster in Korea

Christopher Nolan has become the first foreign film director to notch two non-franchise 10-million-admission films in Korea as “The Odyssey” crossed the threshold Sunday.

“The Odyssey” surpassed the milestone on Sunday — its 33rd day in theaters — according to distributor Universal Pictures. The movie opened in Korea on Aug. 5.

Nolan last crossed the 10 million mark with “Interstellar” (2014), the science-fiction blockbuster that set off a black hole craze in Korea 12 years ago.

James Cameron previously reached the milestone twice with “Avatar” (2009) and “Avatar: The Way of Water” (2022), while the Russo brothers did so with the Marvel superhero films “Avengers: Infinity War” (2018) and “Avengers: Endgame” (2019). But both pairs of films belong to franchises.

“The Odyssey” has also set a new admissions record for IMAX theaters in Korea.

The film has drawn 1.1 million moviegoers to IMAX screens, or 11.3 percent of its total audience as of Saturday, according to the Korean Film Council. That surpassed the previous record held by “Avatar: The Way of Water.”

Korea is the fourth-largest market worldwide for “The Odyssey” by box-office revenue at $71.7 million, behind North America at $574.85 million, Britain at $107.65 million and France at $84.6 million as of Sunday, according to Box Office Mojo. The ranking could climb further because the film opened in Korea about three weeks after North America and Europe.

“Interstellar” also performed exceptionally well in Korea, which was its third-largest market after North America and China.

Nolan’s previous 12 films have drawn a combined audience of roughly 46 million in Korea. His 1998 feature debut, “Following,” was not released theatrically in the country.

For Korean moviegoers, part of the Nolan draw is the puzzle. His films invite audiences to think, interpret and debate long after the credits roll.

“Korean audiences enjoy interpreting films from their own perspectives and sharing their opinions,” Universal Pictures, which has worked with the director since “Oppenheimer” (2023), said. “That intellectual curiosity meshes well with Nolan’s tendency to leave room for interpretation.” The result is a form of “edutainment,” combining education and entertainment.

“The Odyssey” has also sparked interest in the humanities surrounding Homer’s “Odyssey,” the Western classic on which the film is based. Books related to the ancient epic have surged toward the top of rankings at bookstores and online book subscription services.

“Interpretations shared by people who saw the film generated word-of-mouth and brought even more moviegoers into theaters,” said film critic Youn Sung-eun.

Nolan’s storytelling has also proved unusually attuned to the times. Even his comic book-based “Dark Knight” (2005-2012) trilogy resists straightforward hero narratives. The series asked audiences to confront the moral consequences of its protagonists’ actions.

“[The Odyssey’s] critical message about a world at war also struck a chord at this particular moment,” said film critic Huh Nam-woong.

Nolan’s recurring exploration of fatherhood also resonates with Korean audiences. The director himself is a father of four.

“‘The Odyssey’ combines the good-versus-evil narrative and spectacle typical of Hollywood films that cross 10 million admissions in Korea with the family drama and a father’s struggles often found in Korean films that reach the same milestone,” said Kang Sung-ryul, a film critic and professor at Kwangwoon University’s School of Northeast Asian Cultural Industries.

Nolan’s commitment to old-school filmmaking has become another part of his appeal. He keeps computer-generated imagery to a minimum and remains a staunch advocate of shooting on film.

“At a time when going to the movie theater itself is becoming old-fashioned, watching an archetypal story told through a film made with analog techniques can stir a sense of nostalgia among audiences,” said film critic Jung Sung-il.

“The Odyssey” is the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX film. Accordingly, the demand for IMAX screenings helped drive advance ticket sales from the outset. Korea’s 25 digital IMAX theaters have repeatedly sold out since “The Odyssey” opened. Together, the theaters have roughly 7,580 seats, according to CGV’s website.

Competition for tickets at CGV Yongsan’s IMAX theater in Seoul remains especially fierce, as it is the only theater in Korea capable of presenting the film in its original 1.43:1 aspect ratio.

Nolan has championed IMAX film for its high-resolution images and immersive sound since “The Dark Knight” (2008), a commitment that has become central to his cinematic identity. That reputation, coupled with the scarcity of theaters capable of showing his films as intended, has turned “The Odyssey” into a must-see theatrical event.

The run, however, faces a deadline. Korea’s current screen quota system requires each theater screen to show Korean films for at least 73 days a year.

With CGV also preparing its IMAX slate for year-end tentpoles such as “Dune: Part Three” and “Avengers: Doomsday,” the movie theater will likely have to pull “The Odyssey” in September.

BY NA WON-JEONG, JEONG EUN-HYE [[email protected]]