‘The Odyssey’ Rakes $87M in Best Second Weekend for Nolan

Ticket sales dropped just 30% from the opening weekend, bringing the domestic total to an estimated $87 million, according to studio estimates on Sunday. That surpasses the $75.2 million earned by 'The Dark Knight' in its second weekend in 2008.

Globally, the film has made $639.6 million, with $128.3 million coming from international markets. Paul Dergarabedian, Rentrak's head of marketplace trends, said theaters worldwide are adding showtimes to meet demand.

Premium large format screens drove much of the earnings. IMAX screens contributed $48 million globally this weekend, including $5.2 million from the 41 70 mm IMAX screens worldwide, most of which are sold out through September, according to IMAX.

Next week, 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' opens, potentially drawing audiences away. But exhibitors welcome the prospect of two blockbusters boosting the typically slow August box office. David A. Gross of FranchiseRe noted that 'The Odyssey' shows the holding power of a film that opens big and plays for weeks.

IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond called the film a global cultural event, predicting audiences will line up for weeks or months. Meanwhile, 'Hadestown: The Musical,' a filmed Broadway production, debuted with $9.6 million from 1,949 theaters, landing in the top five.