AMC Theatres recorded the most successful IMAX run in its history through the first two weekends of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, which opened July 17, 2026, with approximately $124.5 million domestically and generated $87 million in its second weekend. From July 16 through July 26, AMC achieved the highest IMAX revenue in the company’s history for a single title’s opening two weekends, according to the theater chain’s July 27 announcement.
The unprecedented demand for The Odyssey reflects the film’s status as the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX cameras. Christopher Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema worked with IMAX to develop the Keighley, a next-generation IMAX Film Camera, and shot 2.1 million feet of IMAX film to create the mythic action epic. The film’s commitment to IMAX-native production has resonated with audiences seeking the most immersive theatrical experience available.
IMAX 70mm Film, the gold-standard presentation available at just 41 locations worldwide, has generated $16.9 million in global box office to date, averaging a remarkable $412,000 per screen. During the opening weekend, IMAX 70mm screens averaged $153,000 per screen, according to reporting from CNBC citing IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond. The film’s second weekend IMAX box office of $48 million marked the highest-grossing second weekend in IMAX’s company history, down just 8% from its record-breaking $52 million opening weekend.
The film’s global IMAX performance has been extraordinary, generating $140 million in IMAX global box office as of July 27, accounting for 21.9% of the film’s total global box office. The Odyssey surpassed $100 million in IMAX global box office in just 10 days, becoming the second-fastest film in IMAX history to reach that milestone. In North America alone, the film earned $24 million in IMAX box office from just 443 screens in its second weekend, representing a 27.7% market share and the highest domestic second-weekend IMAX box office in IMAX company history.
Demand for IMAX 70mm showtimes has outpaced supply at nearly every location. AMC Lincoln Square 13 in New York ran 24-hour IMAX 70mm showtimes from Friday through Sunday for both the opening and second weekends to meet demand. Many of AMC’s IMAX 70mm showtimes are sold out through mid-August, with additional showtimes already sold out into September. AMC, which operates approximately half of all IMAX screens in the United States and more IMAX locations than any other exhibitor in North America, is actively working with Universal Pictures and IMAX to explore opportunities to add additional IMAX 70mm showtimes wherever possible.
AMC Chairman and CEO Adam Aron attributed the historic performance to the quality of the filmmaking and the company’s long-standing investment in premium large-format experiences. “Christopher Nolan, his cast and crew along with Universal Pictures have created a brilliant cinematic event that audiences clearly want to experience in the most immersive formats available,” Aron said in the company’s statement. The film’s success reinforces the broader industry trend of audiences valuing premium theatrical experiences, particularly when filmmakers design content specifically for those formats.
Sources
- AMC Entertainment Holdings, Inc. — AMC Theatres’ official announcement of the most successful IMAX run in company history through the first two weekends of The Odyssey, issued July 27, 2026.
- IMAX Corporation — IMAX’s official press release detailing the film’s record-breaking $48 million second weekend in IMAX globally, the $140 million IMAX global box office to date, and technical details about IMAX 70mm Film performance and the Keighley camera, issued July 27, 2026.
- CNBC — Reporting on IMAX 70mm average screen performance during opening weekend, featuring commentary from IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond, published July 25, 2026.
