Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Tuesday, July 28, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Posts Record $87 Million Second Weekend
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey claimed its second consecutive box office crown this weekend, earning an estimated $87 million domestically over three days — a record second-weekend haul for the director, surpassing all previous sophomore totals for a Nolan film. The epic, starring Matt Damon as the Greek king Odysseus, declined just 30% from its $124 million opening, one of the strongest holds on record for a $100-million-plus blockbuster. Two-weekend domestic total now stands at $286 million, while the Universal release has earned $652 million globally, cementing it as one of 2026’s biggest commercial events.
Sources: Deadline
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‘Hadestown: The Musical’ Sets Record as Biggest Broadway Live-Capture Theatrical Opening
Hadestown: The Musical, the filmed version of the Tony-winning Broadway show, opened to $10.2 million over its first five days in theaters, setting a record as the biggest Broadway live-capture theatrical opening in history, besting Disney’s Hamilton at $10.1 million. Distributed by Bleecker Street’s Crosswalk label alongside LD Entertainment, the film launched from 1,949 theaters under an initial five-day event plan before extraordinary response and demand prompted the distributor to extend its theatrical run. The three-day weekend gross reached $9.69 million, placing Hadestown fifth overall at the domestic box office.
Sources: Deadline
‘Toy Story 5’ Crosses $1 Billion Globally, Third Film of 2026 to Reach Milestone
Toy Story 5 has crossed $1 billion at the global box office, becoming the third film of 2026 to reach that milestone after The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and the Michael Jackson biopic Michael. The Disney/Pixar sequel earned $448 million domestically and $573 million internationally through its sixth weekend, ranking as the top-grossing domestic film of the year. The Odyssey also hit a global benchmark this weekend, clearing $640 million worldwide after just two weekends — making the July 24–27 frame one of the box office’s biggest summer stretches of 2026.
Sources: Deadline
‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ World Premiere Earns Rave Reviews Ahead of July 31 Release
Spider-Man: Brand New Day held its world premiere at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on July 27, drawing overwhelmingly positive early reactions from critics and the press. Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, the Sony/Marvel film stars Tom Holland, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Sadie Sink, and Mark Ruffalo. Holland told reporters he plans to play the character “for as long as they’ll have me.” The film opens July 31 and is tracking for a domestic opening in the $180-to-$190 million range, which would rank as the biggest U.S. opening of 2026.
Sources: Deadline
Venice Film Festival 2026 Lineup Unveiled: Danny Boyle Opens; Robert Pattinson, Oasis Featured
The Venice Film Festival unveiled its full competition lineup for its 83rd edition this week, led by an opening-night film from director Danny Boyle and featuring new work from Werner Herzog, Hirokazu Kore-eda, Lee Chang-dong, and Martin McDonagh. Robert Pattinson, Penélope Cruz, and Alicia Vikander headline star-led competition titles, while an Oasis documentary featuring brothers Noel and Liam Gallagher is among the selection. The festival opens September 2, serving as the traditional launchpad for the awards season. This year’s lineup skews toward international indie filmmakers, with Hollywood studio fare largely absent.
Sources: Deadline
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Odyssey | Jul 17 | $87.0M | $286.4M |
| 2 | Moana | Jul 10 | $10.5M | $102.5M |
| 3 | Toy Story 5 | Jun 19 | $10.0M | $448.6M |
| 4 | Hadestown: The Musical | Jul 24 | $9.7M | $9.7M |
| 5 | Minions & Monsters | Jul 1 | $9.6M | $155.4M |
| 6 | The Invite | Jun 26 | $2.6M | $19.8M |
| 7 | Evil Dead Burn | Jul 10 | $2.6M | $29.2M |
| 8 | Young Washington | Jul 3 | $2.0M | $45.0M |
| 9 | Motor City | Jul 24 | $1.6M | $1.6M |
| 10 | Obsession | May 15 | $1.5M | $261.4M |
| 11 | Jana Nayagan | Jul 22 | $0.74M | $1.4M |
| 12 | Disclosure Day | Jun 12 | $0.65M | $116.0M |
| 13 | Supergirl | Jun 26 | $0.63M | $71.5M |
| 14 | Her Private Hell | Jul 24 | $0.53M | $0.53M |
| 15 | Backrooms | May 29 | $0.33M | $196.8M |
| 16 | Scary Movie | Jun 5 | $0.13M | $108.2M |
| 17 | Jackass: Best and Last | Jun 26 | $0.09M | $18.2M |
| 18 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | May 22 | $0.07M | $177.7M |
| 19 | Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty of the World | Jul 3 | $0.05M | $0.28M |
| 20 | Reading Lolita in Tehran | Jul 10 | $0.05M | $0.07M |
Source: The Numbers · Weekend estimates, July 24–27, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency