New Delhi, July 20 -- Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has made a powerful start at the global box office, collecting $264.1 million worldwide in its opening weekend and recording the biggest worldwide launch of the director's career.

The action epic earned $124.5 million from 3,919 cinemas in North America, while its international release across 73 markets added $139.6 million. The film has yet to open in China, Japan and South Korea, leaving room for further growth in the coming weeks.

The opening has placed The Odyssey ahead of Nolan's previous global launch records for Oppenheimer and The Dark Knight Rises. Domestically, however, the film ranks as the director's third-biggest opening weekend, according to data from Rentrak.

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