Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Breaks IMAX Record Surpassing ‘Avengers Endgame’

Christopher Nolan has dedicated years to advancing large format filmmaking, and ‘The Odyssey’ epitomizes that commitment. Marketed as the first Hollywood feature filmed entirely with IMAX cameras, the movie arrived with high expectations regarding audience reception of Homer’s ancient epic at such a grand scale. Early results indicate that this bold move has paid off, surpassing even Nolan’s most successful previous openings.

Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, the film features a star-studded cast including Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Charlize Theron, Robert Pattinson, and Lupita Nyong’o, retelling the king’s arduous journey home following the Trojan War.

During its opening weekend, the film shattered numerous records for Nolan, achieving his highest global debut and marking his strongest opening since ‘The Dark Knight Rises.’ However, it is the format-specific figures that have truly captured attention within the exhibition industry.

‘The Odyssey’ garnered 51.8 million dollars from IMAX screens globally during its opening weekend, with 29.6 million dollars from North America and approximately 22.2 million dollars from international IMAX showings. This achievement marks the best weekend ever for IMAX as a company, placing ‘The Odyssey’ among a select few films with exceptional opening weekend performance in this format.

For perspective, only one other film has ever surpassed 50 million dollars in IMAX ticket sales during its opening weekend, and that film is ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Marvel’s 2019 finale earned 91.5 million dollars globally from IMAX during its debut, nearly doubling the previous record. However, 42.4 million dollars of that total came from China, a market where ‘The Odyssey’ has yet to release, with its debut there scheduled for later this year.

When excluding the Chinese figures, ‘Endgame’ generated 49.1 million dollars from all other IMAX markets combined. This means ‘The Odyssey,’ without access to China, still managed to surpass that figure with its 51.8 million dollar total, making it arguably the largest IMAX opening weekend ever recorded outside of that specific market.

The format’s success extended beyond just the top numbers. IMAX reported that Thursday previews alone marked its largest single opening day ever, surpassing even the recent ‘Avatar’ sequel, while the 41 screens capable of showcasing the film in true 70mm generated 6.3 million dollars on their own.

Overall, premium formats accounted for more than half of the film’s entire domestic box office, highlighting the audience’s desire for the most immersive viewing experience for this particular story.

IMAX has dedicated its entire global network to ‘The Odyssey’ for three full weeks, an unusually extended exclusive window that reflects the exhibitor’s confidence in the film’s longevity. Such format loyalty is rarely granted unless a studio and distributor believe the demand will persist well beyond the opening weekend, and early word of mouth, coupled with strong critical acclaim, suggests that this confidence is well founded.

For Nolan, a director who has consistently advocated for the importance of the theatrical experience, achieving this format-specific record may hold as much significance as the overall box office figures. Transforming an R-rated adaptation of a three-thousand-year-old poem into the largest non-Chinese IMAX opening in history is an impressive feat that few directors could accomplish, further solidifying Nolan’s status as a reliable box office draw in this format.

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