IMAX Corporation (NYSE:IMAX) shares rose 4% after Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey generated a record-breaking $52 million in global ticket sales across IMAX theatres during its opening weekend.
Filmed entirely using IMAX 70mm cameras, The Odyssey accounted for 20% of the film’s worldwide opening box office. The release also set a new IMAX record for the biggest opening weekend in comparable international markets, excluding China, Japan and South Korea, surpassing the previous benchmark by 16%.
The Odyssey delivers strong box office performance worldwide
In North America, the film earned $29.6 million from 444 IMAX screens, representing a market share of 23.8%.
Outside North America, The Odyssey generated an additional $22.2 million across 441 IMAX screens in 74 markets, capturing 16% of the international box office. The film also produced the strongest-ever IMAX opening weekend in 26 territories, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Mexico and Argentina.
IMAX’s premium 70mm film locations, which are available at 41 cinemas worldwide, contributed $6.3 million during the weekend, averaging approximately $153,000 per screen. The movie also established a new IMAX record with $50 million in advance ticket sales.
Global rollout continues as IMAX expands screenings
The Odyssey is expected to remain in IMAX theatres for at least three weeks, with additional releases scheduled for South Korea on August 5, China on August 14 and Japan on September 11. IMAX 70mm locations are expected to screen the film for a minimum of five weeks.
For the production, director Christopher Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema captured approximately 2.1 million feet of IMAX film and worked with IMAX to develop The Keighley, the company’s next-generation IMAX film camera.
During the weekend ending July 17, IMAX generated a total of $60 million at the global box office, with additional contributions from local-language films shown across China, Japan and South Korea.
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