All articles tagged with #imax
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has surpassed Deadpool & Wolverine to become the highest-grossing R-rated film ever, with $1.34 billion worldwide, boosted by international demand and a record IMAX haul, underscoring a trend toward auteur-driven epics and hinting at shifts in studio greenlight decisions away from franchises.
Ticket presales for Dune: Part Three and other premium releases overwhelmed theater apps, turning moviegoing into a concert-like scramble as fans chase scarce IMAX 70mm screenings. Long lines, crashed systems, and expensive resales have left many frustrated, with AMC pledging $2 million to fix the tech. Experts say the core issue is limited premium-screen capacity combined with the social pressure of being first; solutions will require better tech and guardrails rather than price hikes to restore a smoother experience.
Fans desperate for Dune: Part Three IMAX 70mm screenings faced long waits and site crashes across AMC and Fandango as advance sales surged, with some grabbing tickets in person or reselling them for high prices, illustrating the growing premium-format demand reshaping moviegoing.
Ticket sales for Dune: Part Three in 70mm IMAX and other premium formats kicked off with new footage released, but websites crashed and queues formed as fans rushed to buy seats. Insiders get early screenings on Dec 14–17 before the Dec 18 general opening, as the strategy aims to topple Avengers: Doomsday at the box office. The film was shot with IMAX cameras, offering up to 71 minutes of IMAX-exclusive 1.90:1 imagery (with some locations showing 1.43:1), enhancing the IMAX experience.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will roll out on more than 20,000 screens in mainland China, including about 90% of the country’s nearly 800 IMAX locations, with presales around RMB39.5 million and previews totaling RMB91 million ahead of its Aug. 14 wide release, driven by a near-total Imax commitment and strong box-office expectations.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has exploded to about $1.1 billion worldwide, making it his biggest film to date and IMAX’s biggest release ever with $289 million. It has earned about $461 million domestically and $643 million internationally so far, with notable IMAX 70mm showings and a China release upcoming (Aug. 14). The movie remains a major year‑to‑date earner, trailing Spider‑Man: Brand New Day, which has dominated the year with roughly $1.67 billion.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has become his highest-grossing film ever, earning $1.104 billion worldwide in its first month and $461.1 million domestically, surpassing The Dark Knight Rises and The Dark Knight. It also set the all-time IMAX box-office record with $289.3 million and cements Nolan’s global box-office dominance, while marking milestone grosses for stars Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson and contributing to Universal Pictures’ strong slate.
IMAX will add Spider-Man: Brand New Day to select North American digital locations starting Aug. 6, pairing it with The Odyssey as the latter ends its exclusive three-weekend IMAX run; the weekend pushed box office to a record $430 million, with Spider-Man debuting at $355 million since July 31 and The Odyssey earning $51 million in its weekend while continuing globally (IMAX reports $221 million there), and The Odyssey remains the only film to post multiple $40+ million weekends.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will expand across the IMAX network in North America starting Aug. 6 as The Odyssey’s exclusive Imax window ends; the film opened to $927 million globally on about 90,000 screens—the second-largest global bow ever behind Avengers: Endgame—with IMAX accounting for around $365 million of its franchise-wide receipts. Early international IMAX performance included China ($19M, 16% of opening), South Korea ($2.4M, 9%), and Japan ($2.2M, 18%). The Odyssey will roll out to additional markets later in the year, and Imax’s Rich Gelfond says the release should drive new and repeat viewings.
Spider-Man: Brand New Day will swing into IMAX on August 6 after The Odyssey completes its exclusive run, with Odyssey continuing on select 70mm screens worldwide; Odyssey has grossed about $221 million in IMAX and dominated July, while Brand New Day has already launched to $927 million globally and will expand to IMAX in additional markets.
Sony Pictures’ Spider-Man: Brand New Day led mainland China’s box office over the July 31–Aug. 2 weekend, grossing RMB463.5 million ($68.1 million) in the three-day opening and about $121.3 million across its first five days, including $19 million from IMAX, as China’s weekend box office totaled roughly $132.3 million and year-to-date receipts stand at $3.39 billion, down 32% from 2025.
Christopher Nolan’s Odyssey is being shown in multiple large formats, with 70mm IMAX currently available at Seven Bridges in Woodridge and additional Chicago-area options like 70mm screenings at Music Box and AMC River East 21 or AMC Roosevelt Collection 16, plus IMAX with Laser at River East and Regal City North and Premium Large Format at many AMC locations and Alamo Drafthouse Chicago. The article explains why 70mm IMAX is rare, notes sold-out initial screenings, and suggests choosing whichever format is most accessible to experience Nolan’s epic scale on screen.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has surpassed $700 million at the global box office in just 12 days, with $320.5 million domestic and $407.4 million overseas (IMAX contributing about $140 million); the $250 million epic is on track to become Nolan’s highest-grossing film, potentially overtaking The Dark Knight titles, and it has yet to open in China.
Following Nolan’s all-Imax shoot on The Odyssey, a Variety source says other filmmakers could pursue an entirely Imax production, with Denis Villeneuve and Ryan Coogler cited as likely candidates; however, the format’s enormous costs, loud film cameras, and large print requirements make it a rare, high‑stakes gamble, even as Imax notes it can accommodate such projects if scheduling and budgets permit.
Only about 25 US theaters and roughly 45 worldwide can show The Odyssey in true IMAX 70mm, a rare, labor‑intensive feat that relies on aging projectors and scarce parts. The 70mm film runs horizontally at 1.43:1, delivering unparalleled brightness but requiring constant maintenance—from water‑cooling leaks and refurbished platters to PalmPilot-era controls now emulated on iPads and a Windows XP audio system being upgraded. Despite the challenges, audiences flock to the tangible, imperfect magic of film, though future expansion remains limited and dependent on technicians keeping these giants alive.