Few projects across television history have been as successful and influential as The Walking Dead. This gripping horror drama had audiences glued to the screen for many years, and the franchise as a whole still keeps its bite thanks to a couple of spinoff shows that are on the air. However, no matter how much time passes and how many bad guys try to rule this post-apocalyptic world, Shane Walsh will always be one of the saga's most iconic antagonists.
The ruthless survivor tried to steal Rick Grimes' wife, Lori Grimes, and also attempted to impose his violent ways on the main group of survivors. However, his reign of terror wouldn't last for long, as Shane died in the second season of the hit AMC show. Although the character's story came to an end sooner than expected, Jon Bernthal's career was merely starting. This role catapulted the actor's career to new heights, and since then he has joined many more productions, including one that has been making history for all the right reasons.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey officially becomes the highest-grossing R-rated movie ever made
The wrath of Poseidon is nothing compared to the wrath of The Odyssey. The latest Christopher Nolan movie was released to critical acclaim, with many deeming it one of the director's best titles in his already impressive career. Furthermore, the film laid siege to the box office as if it were Troy itself.
The Odyssey has currently grossed $1.55 billion worldwide, becoming the highest-grossing Christopher Nolan project by a considerable margin, with The Dark Knight Rises taking second place at $1.08 billion. As if that wasn't enough, The Odyssey has also become the biggest R-rated film ever, overtaking previous champion Deadpool & Wolverine.
Ryan Reynolds, who portrays the Merc With a Mouth on the big screen, congratulated Nolan on accomplishing this astounding feat:
Congratulations to the entire cast and crew of The Odyssey for becoming the highest grossing R-rated movie of all time. That is one helluva car. pic.twitter.com/s7QzTza21l
— Ryan Reynolds (@VancityReynolds) August 19, 2026
To put The Odyssey's box office run into perspective, here are the top ten biggest R-rated films ever created and how much each one grossed:
- The Odyssey - $1.55 billion
- Deadpool & Wolverine - $1.338 billion
- Joker - $1.07 billion
- Oppenheimer - $975 million
- Demon Slayer: Kimetsu No Yaiba Infinity Castle - $793 million
- Deadpool 2 - $785 million
- Deadpool - $782 million
- The Matrix Reloaded - $741 million
- It - $719 million
- Detective Chinatown 3 - $686 million
This year has marked a fantastic rebound for cinema, as it has been the second year to surpass $4 billion at the global box office since the COVID pandemic. Heavy hitters like Toy Story 5, The Super Mario Galaxy Movie, and Jackson were met with great levels of success, and yet The Odyssey has been the second-highest-grossing film among them, behind only Spider-Man: Brand New Day.
Part of the reason 2026 has been so successful is its wider appeal to younger audiences, with films like Toy Story 5 and Minions & Monsters tailored specifically for kids. However, surprise releases like Obsession and The Odyssey proved that non-franchised, R-rated projects can draw audiences if the premise is interesting enough.
An analysis by Forbes revealed that Nolan's latest film has a break-even point of somewhere between $625 and $750 million, so even in the latter scenario, it has already doubled its budget and marketing costs in ticket sales. This is a huge success for Universal Studios, whose only bigger success has been Jurassic World at $1.67 billion.
Jon Bernthal had a busy summer, as he also had a prominent role in Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The latest Marvel Cinematic Universe project has already become the third-highest-grossing film ever made, grossing $2.33 billion one month after its release. However, 2026's most-anticipated release is shaping up to be Avengers: Doomsday, in which Jon Bernthal is also rumored to play a minor role. If that were to be the case, the acclaimed The Walking Dead star would appear in the three most successful theatrical releases of 2026.
It remains to be seen whether The Odyssey will be able to reach the $1.6 billion mark by the end of its theatrical run. However, Nolan's latest project has already broken countless box-office records, and it will be a while before another R-rated movie can surpass it.
The Odyssey is now playing in theatres.
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