The Odyssey Emerging As Transformational Event For IMAX, Says CEO Rich Gelfond

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has emerged as a major milestone for IMAX, driving record-breaking audience demand and strengthening the company’s global performance in the second quarter of 2026. According to an earnings release issued by IMAX Corporation, the film delivered the biggest IMAX opening weekend of all time in like-for-like markets and generated strong momentum for the company’s business worldwide.

IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond described The Odyssey as a landmark moment for the company, saying, “As we enter the second half of 2026, Christopher Nolan’s breathtaking The Odyssey — the first-ever full-length theatrical release filmed entirely with IMAX film cameras — is emerging as a transformational event for IMAX, as the purest and most complete expression yet of the power of our global platform.”

The CEO further added, “The Odyssey has the potential to impact our business in many ways that are clear — and many ways we can’t yet predict, as its success on our platform reverberates across the creative community, and throughout the entertainment landscape.”

ALSO READ | The Odyssey Becomes Highest-Grossing IMAX Opener In India, Beats Mission: Impossible — The Final Reckoning

The film recorded a historic $52 million IMAX opening weekend globally, contributing 20% of the worldwide box office during its debut. IMAX also achieved its highest-grossing Monday and Tuesday ever following the release, with approximately $60 million in advance ticket sales for future screenings.

The company noted that the global box office figures exclude South Korea, Mainland China and Japan, where The Odyssey is scheduled to release on Aug. 5, 14 and Sept. 11, respectively.

According to the release, IMAX reported revenue of $102.8 million for the second quarter of 2026, marking a 12% year-over-year increase from $91.7 million in the same period last year. Net income rose 30% year-over-year to $15.9 million, while adjusted EBITDA increased 23% to $48 million. Adjusted earnings per share reached 43 cents, up 65% compared to 26 cents in the second quarter of 2025.

During the quarter, IMAX installed 38 systems, its highest Q2 installation figure in a decade. The company’s global network expanded to 1,809 commercial multiplex systems as of June 30, 2026, compared to 1,750 systems a year earlier.

ALSO READ | The Odyssey Box Office Collection Day 5: Christopher Nolan’s Epic Stays Steady, Earns This Amount

Advertisement

The company also highlighted strong performance from films released during the quarter. IMAX’s second-quarter global box office reached $285 million, its highest Q2 result since 2019. The top-performing titles included Michael, which earned $69 million at the IMAX box office, followed by The Mandalorian & Grogu with $42 million and The Super Mario Galaxy Movie with $39 million.

Looking ahead, IMAX expects a strong second half of 2026, with upcoming releases including Denis Villeneuve’s Dune: Part Three, which was also filmed using IMAX film cameras, along with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Tom Cruise’s Digger, and Netflix’s IMAX-exclusive Cliff Booth project.

Essential Business Intelligence,
Sharp Market Insights,
Practical Personal Finance Advice, Daily Fuel, Gold and Silver Prices and Latest Stories — On NDTV Profit.