Christopher Nolan’s Greek epic The Odyssey has stormed into theatres worldwide. Alongside its box office run, reports about the film’s cast salaries have begun doing the rounds online.
As per Deadline’s reporting, the film carries a production budget of Rs 2,075 crore ($250 million). With marketing costs added, Comic Basics reported that the total spend has been pushed to roughly Rs 3,112 crore ($375 million). It has been reported that several actors accepted comparatively lower upfront salaries to be part of Nolan’s ambitious vision.
Matt Damon reportedly tops the pay chart
According to Comic Basics, Matt Damon, who plays Odysseus, reportedly earned $15 million for the role. This makes him the highest-paid member of the ensemble cast. Netflix Junkie corroborated this, reporting that Damon received the highest base salary among all the cast members.
Damon’s role as the film’s lead, portraying the Greek king on his decade-long journey home, has been central to the marketing campaign since the first trailer dropped.
Tom Holland and Zendaya follow closely behind
Tom Holland, who plays Telemachus, took home $10 million for the role as per Comic Basics while Zendaya, cast as Athena, earned between $7 – $8 million. Sunday Guardian Live’s reporting noted that Holland was among the younger cast members who agreed to work at a discounted rate to be part of Nolan’s ensemble.
Zendaya’s casting as Athena generated considerable buzz as well, given her existing profile from Euphoria and Dune, adding to the film’s overall star power.
The rest of the cast and the film’s scale
Anne Hathaway, who plays Penelope, earned $7 million for the role according to the same outlet. This marks her fourth collaboration with Nolan after Interstellar and The Dark Knight Rises. While Robert Pattinson, who plays the antagonist Antinous, matched Hathaway’s fee at $7 million. Charlize Theron, cast as the sorceress Calypso, earned between $5 – $6 million.
As per Netflix Junkie, Lupita Nyong’o earned approximately $2 million for her dual performance as Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra. Benny Safdie, who plays the Greek commander Agamemnon, earned between $1.5 – $2 million.
Lastly, Mia Goth, cast as the maidservant Melantho, earned between $1 – $1.5 million and Elliot Page, who plays the soldier Sinon, earned a similar amount, between $1 – $1.5 million.
Of course, none of these numbers come with a stamp of approval from Universal or the actors themselves — studios rarely, if ever, put out official word on what their stars are paid, so these figures remain estimates doing the rounds rather than confirmed fact.
What isn’t in question is how big a moment this has been for Nolan. The Odyssey opened to a massive $264 million worldwide on its first weekend alone, according to Deadline, and has already crossed $300 million globally within just six days, per Box Office Mojo.
For a three-hour mythological epic shot largely on 70mm IMAX film, that’s a staggering vote of confidence from audiences — and it’s easy to see why curiosity about who took home what has only grown alongside the film’s runaway success.
