Ryan Reynolds is handling the loss of a major box-office record in the same way that is typical of Ryan Reynolds.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has now overtaken Deadpool & Wolverine to take the title of the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time, having made about $1.35 billion worldwide, which is just ahead of the $1.338 billion that was earned globally by the 2024 Marvel blockbuster starring Reynolds and Hugh Jackman.
Instead of complaining about having lost the record, Reynolds congratulated Nolan and all the members of the cast and crew of The Odyssey.
Reynolds posted a video which combined scenes from Deadpool & Wolverine with some from The Odyssey, including a humorous mention of one of the most memorable links between the two films – the Honda Odyssey minivan that appears in Deadpool & Wolverine.
More Read
Reynolds said, “Well done to all the members of the cast and crew of ‘The Odyssey’ for achieving the distinction of being the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time,” adding that it was one helluva car.
The joke is about the Honda Odyssey, since the vehicle plays a significant role in a chaotic fight sequence featuring Deadpool and Wolverine, and Reynolds’ reply is especially appropriate in that Nolan’s film has taken over the R-rated box-office title.
‘The Odyssey’ makes box-office history
The Odyssey, a film directed by Christopher Nolan and with Matt Damon in the role of Odysseus, was one of the most successful movies in theatres in 2026.
The film has made about $1.352 billion worldwide, which includes over $516 million in North America and about $836 million abroad.
The fact is all the more impressive since The Odyssey is not drawn from an established superhero franchise. Rather, Nolan has adapted Homer’s ancient epic into a big-scale theatrical production with Damon and also featuring Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron.
The film’s excellent performance in the international market has been a major factor in its record-breaking run; although Deadpool & Wolverine earned a higher total in North America, The Odyssey has obtained a much larger portion of its revenue from overseas audiences.
Reynolds loses the record, but keeps the joke
Reynolds had already attained a significant position in box-office history because of the success of Deadpool & Wolverine. The film reached the end of its theatrical run with total worldwide box-office receipts of about $1.338 billion and then became the highest-grossing R-rated movie of all time after beating Joker.
Nolan’s epic has now taken on that title.
The way Reynolds responds shows that he is treating the change in the record with humour rather than seeing it as a rivalry, and the mention of the Honda Odyssey also provides an unexpected link for fans of both films to two very different movies.
For Nolan, this achievement represents another landmark in what has already been a remarkable career; The Odyssey has not only become the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time but has also gone beyond The Dark Knight Rises to become his most successful film at the global box office.
Although The Odyssey has now taken the top spot at the R-rated box office, Reynolds seems completely willing to give it up—particularly when he can use the situation as a joke regarding a minivan.
