Photo Credit: Getty Images
Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey has already made cinema history after breaking ticket sales records at the BFI Imax in London. The highly anticipated film sold an astonishing 28000 tickets within its first 24 hours on sale, generating a remarkable £750000 in revenue and setting a new benchmark for the venue.
The achievement comes after the film’s first four opening weekend screenings sold out in less than an hour despite tickets being released a full year ahead of the movie’s debut. The screenings include a special midnight premiere that will launch a weekend of continuous showings, highlighting the extraordinary excitement surrounding Nolan’s latest project.
The first day ticket sales comfortably surpassed the previous records held by Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part Two, which earned £366000 during its first day on sale at the BFI Imax, and Nolan’s own Oppenheimer, which generated £254000 over the same period. The latest figures underline the filmmaker’s enduring popularity and the growing demand for premium Imax experiences.
The Odyssey, which opens in cinemas from July 17, is the first feature film to be shot entirely on Imax 70mm cameras. The production brings one of the most celebrated works of ancient literature to the big screen, following the legendary journey of Odysseus, King of Ithaca, as he struggles to return home after the Trojan War.
The epic tale follows Odysseus through a series of dangerous encounters across the seas, including battles with Polyphemus the Cyclops, the enchanting Sirens, the nymph Calypso and the witch goddess Circe. At home, his wife Penelope remains faithful while delaying her suitors by weaving during the day and secretly undoing her work each night as she waits for her husband’s return.
The film boasts a star studded cast featuring Matt Damon, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron, adding even more anticipation to what is already one of the year’s biggest cinematic releases.
The BFI Imax has previously enjoyed tremendous success with Christopher Nolan’s films. In 2023, Oppenheimer delivered the biggest opening weekend box office result of any screen in the United Kingdom, earning £207677 over its opening weekend and becoming the country’s highest grossing Imax screen for the film. The London venue also ranked as the second highest grossing Imax cinema globally during the opening weekend, behind only the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, before finishing its theatrical run with an impressive £2.2 million gross at the BFI Imax alone.
With record breaking advance ticket sales and unprecedented audience demand, The Odyssey is already shaping up to be one of the biggest cinematic events of the year even before its official release.
