Christopher Nolan Visits Korea for the First Time for 'Odyssey': Peak Box Office and Influence

[Anchor]

World-renowned film director Christopher Nolan has visited South Korea for the first time to promote his hit film "Odyssey." Director Nolan also visited the SBS building for an interview, and further details will be available tonight at 7:00 PM on "News Hunters."

Reporting by Lee Joo-hyoung.

[Reporter]

He is not a director chasing the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

He does not need the halo of that award.

Both in box office success and influence, he is already at the very top of the world.

Christopher Nolan has come to Korea for the first time.

He is here to promote his 13th film, "Odyssey."

[Christopher Nolan / Film Director: I took a walk along the Han River and it was wonderful, and I also tried salt bread, which was special.]

Matt Damon from "Jason Bourne" and Charlize Theron from "Mad Max: Fury Road" have also come along.

[Matt Damon / Lead Actor in "Odyssey": (We went to a baseball stadium) and the energy generated by the fans was incredible.]

The two actors star respectively as the protagonist Odysseus and Calypso, the sea nymph who tempts Odysseus.

Although "Odyssey" has not yet opened in major Asian markets such as South Korea, China, and Japan, its releases in North America, Europe, and other regions have grossed over 900 million dollars—exceeding 1.3 trillion won—in just three weeks.

"Odyssey" is based on the classic that serves as a root of Western literature, telling the story of Odysseus as he endures all sorts of hardships over a 20-year journey home following the Trojan War.

[Christopher Nolan / Film Director: The fact that the world of Greek mythology had never been properly handled in a modern cinematic way was striking, and that was exactly the opportunity I was looking for as a film director.]

A major factor in the film becoming a global sensation is that the entire movie was shot on IMAX film.

It is a world first.

[Christopher Nolan / Film Director: The reason I love shooting on large-format film is that it is the format closest to what our eyes see.]

Right now in the United States, "Odyssey" and "Spider-Man" are jointly breaking all-time weekend box office records.

Just like in 2023, when Director Nolan's "Oppenheimer" and Director Gerwig's "Barbie" simultaneous box office hits coined the term "Barbenheimer," the Korean and global film markets are watching closely to see if a "Spider-Odyssey" phenomenon will be born.

(Video Editing: Kim Jong-mi, Video Reporting: Choi Ho-jun, Design: Hwang Se-yeon, Video Courtesy of Universal Pictures)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.