LOS ANGELES, July 19 (Reuters) - Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" grossed $264.1 million in worldwide ticket sales, including $124.5 million in the United States and Canada, in its opening weekend, Universal Pictures announced on Sunday.

The film is based on Homer's ancient Greek epic poem, and stars Matt Damon as the Greek hero Odysseus, following his arduous and perilous journey home after his participation in the Trojan War. It is Nolan's first film since his successful 2013 film Oppenheimer, which won several Academy Awards, including Best Director and Best Picture.

The film cost $250 million to produce and received critical acclaim. It achieved Nolan's highest-grossing worldwide opening weekend (adjusted for inflation) and his third-highest opening weekend in the United States and Canada, after *The Dark Knight* and *The Dark Knight Rises*.

Moviegoers began booking tickets for the film about a year ago after a select number of copies went on sale at IMAX theaters. IMAX, the company that developed the system, announced that ticket sales were so strong that more than 50 theaters across North America added extra screenings running from midnight until 7:00 AM.

Most scholars believe this epic poem, attributed to the Greek poet Homer, was written in the 7th or 8th century BC, after being passed down orally through generations for many years. Nolan's film focuses on a portion of Odysseus's journey home following the Trojan War, during which he encounters gods, monsters, storms, and tragic challenges.