Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has grossed over $1.6 billion and will soon become Universal's highest-grossing film in history

Christopher Nolan's adaptation of the Greek epic has moved within striking distance of becoming Universal's highest-grossing movie ever. The Odyssey has now crossed $1.6 billion worldwide, and the gap with the current leader is shrinking by the day.

Universal's record still belongs to Jurassic World, sitting at $1.67 billion. The Odyssey has already reached $1.63 billion, and given the pace, overtaking the leader looks like a matter of days rather than months.

These numbers aren't exactly a surprise. Theaters extended IMAX 70mm screenings due to huge demand from moviegoers who wanted to see the film on film, in the best possible quality, rather than in a digital format.

The story follows Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, on his long journey home after the Trojan War. Along the way he runs into a cyclops, a sea monster, a massive whirlpool, man-eating giants, and a witch who turns men into pigs. Meanwhile, his wife Penelope, played by Anne Hathaway, fends off suitors led by Antinous, played by Robert Pattinson, while their son Telemachus, played by Tom Holland, sets out to find news of his father.

The Odyssey beat The Dark Knight Rises at the domestic opening weekend box office, setting a personal record for Nolan. On top of that, the film became the highest-grossing R-rated release of all time, surpassing Deadpool and Wolverine.