All articles tagged with #imax
Disney is leveraging its Infinity Vision certification program to offset the absence of IMAX screenings for 'Avengers: Doomsday' in December 2026. This strategy has already driven 70% of the film's $50 million in presales through premium large-format venues, while the 'Endgame Encore' re-release continues to boost ticket sales for these formats.
Premium-format cinema is driving a post-lockdown rebound, with packed 70mm IMAX screenings of The Odyssey at major venues like AMC Lincoln Square signaling a trend where big-format releases pull audiences back to theaters; the strategy extends to future hits like Dune: Part 3, which will enjoy exclusive IMAX access, underscoring how 70mm and other premium formats are shaping marketing and box office.
Christopher Nolan’s epic The Odyssey has become Universal Pictures’ highest-grossing film ever, reaching $1.68 billion worldwide after less than two months in theaters, with $601.2 million domestic and $1.083 billion international, and setting records as the top-grossing R-rated film and the biggest IMAX earner.
Ars Technica reports that the Godzilla Minus Zero IMAX trailer hints at King Ghidorah’s appearance, with Takashi Yamazaki’s sequel set two years after Godzilla Minus One; the film brings back much of the original cast, debuts in Japan on November 3 and in North America on November 6, and will premiere at the New York Film Festival, with Legendary plotting a 2027 MonsterVerse follow-up.
The latest trailer for Godzilla Minus Zero, directed by Takashi Yamazaki, teases a final showdown as heroes team up to stop Godzilla, with hints of other kaiju and the introduction of Makoto Aoyama alongside the returning Akio Itagaki. The film premieres at the New York Film Festival on Sept. 26, opens in Japan on Nov. 3 and in North America on Nov. 6, and is notable for being the first Japanese movie shot in IMAX, signaling a climactic end to the saga.
Star Wars: Episode IV – A New Hope will be shown in Imax 70mm for its 50th‑anniversary re-release in early 2027, marking the original film’s first Imax screening, alongside the Ryan Gosling‑led Starfighter, which opens May 28, 2027. Both titles will also release on digital Imax screens in a limited rollout, as Imax 70mm releases continue to grow in popularity.
Universal’s Odyssey led the global box office this weekend with about $46 million, edging Sony/Marvel’s Spider-Man: Brand New Day’s roughly $44 million frame; Odyssey’s international run brings its worldwide total to about $1.63 billion (domestic around $585 million) and includes a strong Imax showing in Japan, while Brand New Day sits at about $2.4 billion globally with roughly $923 million domestic, cementing its status as one of the top-grossing films ever.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey crossed $1 billion at the international box office, becoming the 17th film to reach the milestone and the first Hollywood non-sequel/non-remake to do so since Avatar (2009). It opened to $264.1M globally with a $139.6M international opening, led by markets such as the UK & Ireland, China, France, Korea, Italy, Germany, Australia, Spain, Mexico and India. The Odyssey is Nolan's biggest opening in many markets and the top Nolan title on IMAX, with more than $457M in Imax earnings, and Universal notes strong year‑to‑date global box office, while extending the film’s 70MM IMAX run through the month.
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is extending its historic 70mm IMAX engagement, adding showtimes through September to reach an 11th week; it's the highest-grossing Imax release ever with $457M earned on Imax screens globally and $66M worldwide in Imax, averaging about $1.6M per screen. It's currently the year's second-highest grosser at roughly $1.55B, behind Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and sets records as the highest-grossing R-rated film and Nolan's top-grossing picture. Starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson as Odysseus, the Homer adaptation remains a major Oscar contender.
Deadline reports that Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will extend its IMAX 70mm run through September, adding 11 weeks of showtimes at 39 IMAX 70mm venues through Sept. 30. The film, shot entirely with IMAX cameras, uses the expanded 1.90:1 aspect ratio across most screens (with select IMAX with Laser/70mm sites at 1.43:1), and has been a major IMAX driver, contributing a large share of its global box office while continuing to push the format’s reach.
2026 is shaping up as cinema’s comeback year, with five or more films crossing $1 billion worldwide and the domestic box office on pace to top $10 billion for the year. Big hits like Spider-Man and The Odyssey are driving crowds, boosted by premium formats and theater loyalty programs that encourage repeat visits. Studios are sticking to a roughly 45-day theatrical window, betting that strong word-of-mouth and cross-generational appeal will keep audiences returning beyond opening weekends. The fall slate remains uncertain, but expectations are high for potential juggernauts like Avengers: Doomsday and Dune: Part Three as the industry tests what can break out in a still-evolving post-pandemic landscape.
The long-awaited Days of Thunder sequel is confirmed for June 2, 2028, with Tom Cruise returning as Cole Trickle and Anne Hathaway joining as a team owner/engineer; Jonathan Levine directs and Jerry Bruckheimer produces, with an exclusive IMAX theatrical release. Details on the plot are scarce, but the project is expected to lean into NASCAR’s Daytona energy and the original film’s legacy of high-octane racing nostalgia.
IMAX earns money primarily by licensing its brand and projection technology to theaters rather than owning venues, via two main streams: content solutions (studios pay about 12.5% of Imax box office) and technology products/services (selling, leasing or providing long-term revenue-sharing agreements). This licensing model lets cinemas charge premium Imax ticket prices, driving demand even as Imax itself owns only one theater. The company reported a record July in box office, with launches like Dune: Part Three on the horizon to sustain momentum.
Imax rides a record-breaking box office and premium-format demand to push its stock to new highs, but despite early talks, no formal takeover bids have emerged and the company remains independent. Potential buyers—ranging from studios wary of conflicts to tech or private-equity players—face hurdles in integrating a cinema-operator with broad studio relationships, keeping Imax in a favorable standalone position for now.
Marvel Studios confirms Avengers Endgame: Encore will include a brand-new teaser for Avengers: Doomsday, with two sneak peeks—one in standard theaters and another in IMAX/Infinity Vision screenings—as the marketing push for the Doomsday film kicks off ahead of its December 18, 2026 release.