‘The Odyssey’ Extends Its Record-Breaking IMAX Run Yet Again, Now Stretching Into an 11th Week

Theatrical demand for premium formats has become one of the most reliable indicators of a film’s staying power, and few movies have tested the limits of that demand quite like Christopher Nolan’s latest historical epic. Nearly two months after its release, “The Odyssey” continues to command IMAX screens at a pace that’s shattered every existing benchmark for the format.

Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient poem opened on July 17 as the first feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX cameras, a technical milestone that’s translated directly into unprecedented box office demand for premium screenings. That momentum shows no signs of slowing down, even months into the film’s theatrical run.

IMAX has officially extended “The Odyssey’s” 70mm run through September 30, pushing the film’s overall IMAX tenure to a full 11 weeks. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the film has now earned $457 million across IMAX screens globally, making it the highest-grossing IMAX release of all time, while its 70mm screenings specifically, Nolan’s preferred format for the film, have generated $66 million worldwide for a striking $1.6 million per screen average.

That $457 million IMAX total more than doubles the previous record holder, 2009’s “Avatar,” which earned $271 million across IMAX screens, not adjusted for inflation. The extended run adds additional showtimes at 39 IMAX 70mm auditoriums across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Belgium, France and the Czech Republic, giving audiences one more month to catch the film in its most premium presentation format.

Only 41 IMAX 70mm screens exist worldwide, making the format’s contribution to the film’s overall success especially remarkable given how limited the available screen count actually is. Thanks in large part to “The Odyssey’s” performance, July and August together marked the two biggest months in IMAX’s entire history, aided by an average ticket price of $20.58 for the format.

The film’s success hasn’t been confined to premium formats alone. “The Odyssey” has grossed $568 million domestically and $1.557 billion worldwide, making it the second-highest-grossing film of 2026 behind only “Spider-Man: Brand New Day.” That worldwide total also makes it the highest-grossing R-rated film in history, surpassing 2024’s “Deadpool & Wolverine” and its $1.338 billion total, as well as Nolan’s own highest-grossing film ever, overtaking 2012’s “The Dark Knight Rises” and its $1.1 billion haul.

The film has also become the highest-grossing global release for its three leads, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Robert Pattinson, adding yet another milestone to an already record-shattering theatrical run. Starring Damon as Odysseus alongside Tom Holland, Hathaway, Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya and Charlize Theron, the film carries an estimated $250 million budget, making it one of the most expensive productions of Nolan’s career.

The film’s IMAX 70mm engagement will conclude on September 30, a cutoff that appears tied to scheduling around other major premium-format releases entering theaters shortly after. IMAX has other high-profile titles lined up for its screens in the coming weeks, including “Resident Evil” on September 18 and the theatrical rerelease of “Avengers: Endgame — Encore” on September 25, both of which will require dedicated IMAX screen time as “The Odyssey’s” specialty run winds down.

With its IMAX 70mm engagement now extended through the end of the month, “The Odyssey” continues demonstrating just how much staying power a genuinely premium theatrical experience can generate, even well past a film’s opening weeks.

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