The Odyssey posts India’s biggest IMAX opening, topping Mission: Impossible

Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey grossed more than Rs 18 crore across 34 IMAX screens in India in its first four days, setting a new opening benchmark for the premium-format circuit despite limited screen availability.

— Source publishedTue, 21 Jul, 2026, 19:13 IST·First seen Tue, 21 Jul, 2026, 19:58 IST·Source NDTV Profit

What happened

Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey became India’s highest-grossing IMAX opener, collecting over Rs 18 crore from 34 IMAX screens in four days and surpassing

Key facts

  • Over Rs 18 crore
  • 34 IMAX screens
  • First four days of release

Why this matters

The result strengthens the case for IMAX partnerships, premium-screen expansion and distribution deals centered on franchise-scale theatrical events.

What to watch

  • Second-week IMAX occupancy and hold versus opening weekend.
  • Advance-booking pace, sell-out frequency and added late-night or early-morning shows.
  • Food-and-beverage spend per cinema visitor, parking revenue and food-court conversion at IMAX malls.
  • Whether the release expands to more premium screens or reduces standard-format screen availability.
  • Competing releases, school holidays, local festivals and weekend weather that could amplify or dilute mall footfall.
  • Increase weekend staffing and inventory at cinema-adjacent F&B, coffee, dessert and quick-service counters, especially for evening showtime peaks.
  • Deploy ticket-linked offers such as same-day dining bundles, parking validation and premium-format customer promotions to capture post-show spend.
  • Prioritize performance marketing and mall messaging around IMAX showtimes, advance-booking urgency and group-outing packages.
  • Monitor whether premium-screen demand is incremental or cannibalizing standard cinema traffic before expanding promotional discounts.