Imax screens make up less than 1% of all movie screens worldwide. That tiny sliver of real estate pulled in a whopping 20% of "The Odyssey's" worldwide debut.
How big was that opening? The $52 million Imax earned from Christopher Nolan's latest film was 47% higher than the opening Imax did for "Oppenheimer" back in 2023. To put that in perspective, 'Oppenheimer' earned over $190 million from Imax screenings across its entire 2023 theatrical run.
The momentum did not slow after the weekend. The film earned $11 million for Imax on Monday and then $10.6 million on Tuesday. Imax CEO Rich Gelfond called that Tuesday the best single-day performance in the company's history.
He added that presales for the second weekend alone would qualify as one of the biggest opening weekends Imax has ever had. "These numbers help prove that we're just getting warmed up," Gelfond said.
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Before "The Odyssey" hit theaters, investors had a real reason to worry. Imax has set a target of $1.4 billion in global box office ticket sales for 2026. The company says it is still on track to hit that number.
The problem was a calendar change. Netflix delayed 'Narnia: The Magician's Nephew' from November 2026 to February 2027. Director Greta Gerwig's film was expected to be a major draw for Imax screens. That delay caused concern on Wall Street that Imax might miss its revenue target.
Then "The Odyssey" arrived.
Imax's premium large-format screens command higher ticket prices, often $5 to $10 more than standard tickets, making them a lucrative revenue stream for both the company and theater operators. The company's ability to consistently attract major Hollywood releases has made it a bellwether for the box office recovery. With a strong lineup of sequels and franchise films, Imax is well-positioned to benefit from audience demand for spectacle-driven cinema.
Imax has a packed slate ahead, including "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," "Resident Evil," "Digger," "Godzilla Minus Zero," "The Adventures of Cliff Booth," "Street Fighter," and "Dune: Part Three."
Imax added 38 new systems worldwide in Q2 this year, compared to 36 in the same quarter of last year. In Q1, the company installed 19 systems, and Imax anticipates adding between 160 and 175 systems by late 2026. The firm holds 421 signed contracts for new screen installations.
"Our momentum continues to translate into demand from our exhibition partners," Gelfond said. "We continue to see tremendous runway for our global expansion, and we continue to innovate in ways that make Imax even more valuable to creators, studios, exhibitors and audiences alike. This is an incredibly exciting time for our business."
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