Christopher Nolan has done it again — and this time, on a scale no filmmaker has ever achieved on IMAX screens. In less than a month of theatrical play, his mythic action epic The Odyssey has become the highest-grossing IMAX release of all time, shattering a record that had stood since 2009. The film has rewritten the book on what premium-format cinema can accomplish at the global box office.
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The Record, Explained
The record-breaking run of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey reached a new milestone, taking the crown as the highest-grossing IMAX release of all time with $289 million in less than a month of play. The film overtook 2009’s Avatar, which previously held the record with $271 million, not adjusted for inflation.
The mythic action epic earned $37 million worldwide on IMAX screens in its fourth weekend, and the strong performance lifted IMAX to an astounding fourth consecutive weekend of $50 million-plus at the global box office — prior to The Odyssey, IMAX had never delivered even two $50 million weekends in a row. IMAX accounts for more than 26% of The Odyssey’s overall global box office earnings of $1.1 billion so far.
Box Office Milestones at a Glance
| Milestone | Figure |
|---|---|
| IMAX Gross (Global) | $289 million+ |
| IMAX Gross (North America) | $147.3 million |
| IMAX Gross (International) | $141.8 million |
| Overall Global Box Office | $1.1 billion+ |
| Domestic Overall | $461 million |
| International Overall | $643 million |
| Previous IMAX Record Holder | Avatar (2009) — $271m |
| IMAX Share of Total Gross | 26%+ |
| Release Date | July 17, 2026 |
Highest-Grossing IMAX Films of All Time (Updated)
| Rank | Film | IMAX Gross |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Odyssey (2026) | $289m+ |
| 2 | Avatar (2009) | $271m |
| 3 | Avatar: The Way of Water (2022) | ~$250m |
| 4 | Top Gun: Maverick (2022) | ~$160m |
| 5 | Oppenheimer (2023) | ~$180m |
About the Film
The Odyssey is an epic action film from writer-director Christopher Nolan that was released on July 17, 2026, and is a screen adaptation of the epic poem attributed to the ancient Greek poet Homer. After the Trojan War, Odysseus faces a dangerous voyage back to Ithaca, meeting creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, and Circe along the way. With a $250 million budget, it is the most expensive film of Christopher Nolan’s career. It is the first film that Nolan has released since the acclaimed drama Oppenheimer, which won seven Academy Awards, including Best Actor, Best Director, and Best Picture.
Full Cast
| Character | Actor |
|---|---|
| Odysseus | Matt Damon |
| Telemachus | Tom Holland |
| Penelope | Anne Hathaway |
| Athena | Zendaya |
| Antinous | Robert Pattinson |
| Helen of Troy / Clytemnestra | Lupita Nyong’o |
| Circe | Charlize Theron |
| Menelaus | Jon Bernthal |
| Eumaeus | John Leguizamo |
| Agamemnon | Benny Safdie |
A Technical Revolution for IMAX
The mythic action epic is the first theatrical release shot entirely with IMAX Film Cameras — a technical milestone for which IMAX developed a next-generation film camera and state-of-the-art technology enabling sync sound. Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema collaborated with IMAX to develop “The Keighley,” a next-generation camera, along with a new sound blimp, which together shot a total of 2.1 million feet of film in the making of The Odyssey.
Key Film Details
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Director | Christopher Nolan |
| Screenplay | Christopher Nolan |
| Based On | The Odyssey by Homer |
| Producers | Christopher Nolan, Emma Thomas |
| Cinematographer | Hoyte van Hoytema |
| Composer | Ludwig Göransson |
| Editor | Jennifer Lame |
| Production | Syncopy / Universal Pictures |
| Budget | $250 million |
| Release Date | July 17, 2026 |
What IMAX’s CEO Said
“We had the very highest of hopes for The Odyssey from the start, but it somehow continues to exceed them, and its historic performance is headlining what we expect will be our best year ever at the global box office,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX.
Still Running — And Still Growing
With nearly $40 million in pre-sales for future showtimes and sellouts for weeks in advance, The Odyssey will continue to play in the IMAX global network through at least September 17, and is still set to debut in China and Japan in September, continuing an unprecedented global run. These benchmarks are significant because The Odyssey isn’t close to winding down its theatrical run.
Read More: The Odyssey Makes History: First Film Ever to Cross $300M on IMAX Screens Alone
FAQs
How much has The Odyssey grossed on IMAX screens?
As of its fourth weekend in theaters, The Odyssey had grossed $289 million on IMAX screens globally — making it the highest-grossing IMAX release of all time, overtaking Avatar (2009), which previously held the record at $271 million.
Is The Odyssey Christopher Nolan’s biggest film?
Yes. The film has crossed $1.1 billion globally, making it Nolan’s highest-grossing film of all time, surpassing The Dark Knight Rises, which earned $1.08 billion.
What makes The Odyssey unique in IMAX history?
The Odyssey is the first feature film ever to be shot entirely with IMAX film cameras. Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema developed a brand-new next-generation IMAX camera called “The Keighley” specifically for the production.
Who stars in The Odyssey?
The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, Anne Hathaway as Penelope, Zendaya as the goddess Athena, Charlize Theron as Circe, Robert Pattinson as Antinous, and Lupita Nyong’o as Helen of Troy, among others.
Will The Odyssey continue to grow its box office total?
Yes. With $40 million in pre-sales and planned releases in China and Japan still ahead, the film’s IMAX total and overall global gross are both expected to rise well beyond their current figures before the theatrical run concludes.
