IMAX says Nolan’s The Odyssey set a global opening-weekend record

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey delivered the largest opening weekend in IMAX history, the company said, generating $52 million worldwide in the format. The result matters because demand centered on a scarce theatrical experience: only about 40 cinemas worldwide can show true IMAX 70mm film.

IMAX told Fortune that interest in the 70mm presentation exceeded its own forecasts. The company said it had not seen demand for IMAX film at this scale, with 70mm screenings selling out around the world along with a collectible popcorn bucket shaped like an IMAX camera.

The film accounted for 20% of its global opening weekend from IMAX alone, according to IMAX. The company also said it was its biggest opening for a Nolan movie.

Tickets went on sale a year before release, Fortune reported. At New York’s Lincoln Square IMAX, even 3 a.m. screenings sold out.

Scarcity helped drive demand

The draw was tied partly to the way the film was made. Fortune reported that The Odyssey is the first narrative feature shot entirely with IMAX cameras, using specially designed sound-dampening casings that allowed Nolan to film dialogue and action in the format.

The production had limits. Fortune reported that the cameras cost $500,000 each and had to be reloaded after actors recorded only a few minutes of dialogue at a time.

That technical approach helped turn the 70mm version into an event for film fans. One moviegoer, Adrian Ford, who reviews premium screenings on Reddit as “4DX Reviewer,” told Fortune he watched the film in IMAX and then went directly to a 4DX showing. Ford said the sound made the IMAX screening feel like something unavailable elsewhere.

Ford checked seating charts before attending, Fortune reported. The IMAX auditorium was full, while the 4DX screening had fewer than 20 people.

Analysts see a wider box-office signal

Paul Dergarabedian, head of Marketplace Trends at Rentrak, told Fortune the opening weekend ranked among the most notable in moviegoing history. He pointed to full theaters, sold-out premium shows and concession lines as signs of demand beyond a single film’s ticket sales.

Rentrak data cited by Fortune showed the domestic box office up 10.3% year over year to more than $5.4 billion. The market reached $5 billion by July 8, 15 days earlier than in 2025, according to the report.

After one weekend, The Odyssey had reached $263 million worldwide, Fortune reported. That total was above its reported $250 million budget and put the film near the year’s top 10 releases.

Dergarabedian told Fortune that premium formats remain a smaller part of total ticket sales, but their role is growing because audiences will pay more for a stronger theater experience.

Streaming has changed the theater pitch

IMAX told Fortune that streaming has strengthened its business by making premium theatrical outings feel more distinct. The company said audiences now look for the best possible presentation when they choose to leave home.

Jorge Barraza, chief science officer at Immersion Neuroscience and a consumer psychologist, told Fortune that audiences are paying for experiences that hold attention, engage more senses and create stronger memories. He said larger screens and immersive sound can make a theater visit feel richer than watching the same film at home.

Ford told Fortune he may see The Odyssey again in IMAX before it leaves the format. For IMAX and box-office analysts, the opening suggests that scarce, high-end theatrical releases can still pull audiences away from home viewing.

This story draws on original reporting from Fortune.