‘The Odyssey’ Surpasses ‘The Return of the King’ on Rotten Tomatoes

For over two decades, few fantasy epics have matched the critical acclaim of Peter Jackson’s ‘The Lord of the Rings’ trilogy. In particular, ‘The Return of the King’ set a high standard for how a grand mythological adventure could resonate with both critics and audiences alike, establishing a benchmark that has loomed over every large-scale epic since its release.

This week, Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ hit theaters, arriving with its own formidable reputation, bolstered by sold-out IMAX 70mm screenings and a marketing campaign focused on the allure of practical filmmaking. As reviews pour in and audience reactions begin to surface, the film has achieved a remarkable milestone for a modern blockbuster.

Current scores on Rotten Tomatoes reveal that ‘The Odyssey’ has officially outpaced ‘The Return of the King’. Nolan’s latest epic boasts a 95 percent critics score, surpassing ‘The Return of the King’, which has maintained a 94 percent rating from 306 reviews since its original 2003 release.

The audience ratings show an even larger gap, with ‘The Odyssey’ earning a 97 percent score on the Popcornmeter from verified ratings, compared to ‘The Return of the King’s 86 percent audience score based on over 250,000 ratings.

This audience score is particularly significant considering Nolan’s impressive track record on the platform. As reported by Forbes, ‘The Odyssey’ has already achieved the highest Rotten Tomatoes audience score of Nolan’s career, surpassing previous films like ‘The Dark Knight’ and ‘Memento’, both of which held a score of 94 percent.

Throughout his career, Nolan has never had a film rated as Rotten on the platform, making this latest achievement especially noteworthy.

On the critics’ side, ‘The Odyssey’ has also performed strongly during its rollout. Initial reviews from top critics helped elevate the Tomatometer to as high as 98 percent shortly after the embargo lifted. Critics like Anthony Breznican of Esquire Magazine praised the film as a masterful retelling of a 2,800-year-old story. Such widespread acclaim has earned the film both a Certified Fresh label from critics and a Verified Hot badge from audiences.

It’s important to note that Rotten Tomatoes scores can fluctuate as more reviews and ratings come in, meaning the current difference between the two films may change in the coming days. Nevertheless, surpassing a beloved film like ‘The Return of the King’, which is often regarded as one of the most celebrated blockbusters, is a significant milestone for any new release this early in its theatrical run.

With ‘The Odyssey’ also achieving a remarkable opening weekend at the box office and drawing comparisons to major theatrical events of the past decade, this Rotten Tomatoes milestone adds another layer to what is becoming one of the most successful releases of Nolan’s career.

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