Mumbai, 6 August 2026: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has scripted yet another milestone in India, becoming the highest-grossing IMAX release in the country. Following Christopher Nolan’s biggest-ever opening weekend in India and record-breaking performances across premium screens, the film continued to build remarkable momentum over the weeks that followed. Through a sustained IMAX®-first campaign, Warner Bros. Discovery, Universal Pictures International, IMAX Corporation and India’s leading exhibition partners worked together to drive awareness of the IMAX Experience and sustain audience demand throughout the theatrical run, ultimately setting a new benchmark for exhibition in the country.
While audiences flocked to theatres during opening weekend, the campaign was designed to ensure the journey didn’t end there. Every week introduced new reasons for audiences to return to IMAX, transforming The Odyssey from a record-breaking opening into a long-running theatrical event. Exclusive collectibles, premium fan experiences, exhibitor-led initiatives and nationwide promotions kept the film at the centre of the conversation throughout its run, reinforcing IMAX as the definitive way to experience Christopher Nolan’s first feature film shot entirely with IMAX Film Cameras.
Denzil Dias, Vice President and Managing Director, India Theatrical, Warner Bros. Discovery, “Christopher Nolan came to Mumbai in July and told us Indian audiences are among the most enthusiastic and knowledgeable in the world. This is the proof. The top two highest-grossing IMAX releases in India’s history are both his films. Not one, but two films from the same director, made the same way, for the same reason, because he believes cinema is meant to be seen at the scale only IMAX can give it. India agreed with Oppenheimer. India has now agreed twice, and this time it took seventeen days, not an entire run. When a filmmaker builds his entire career around convincing audiences that the biggest screen is the only screen worth choosing, and an audience answers him this decisively, and this quickly, that is not a box office record. That is a promise on both sides.”
The campaign began even before release with one of the year’s biggest entertainment moments as Christopher Nolan and members of the film’s ensemble cast arrived in India for the film’s IMAX premiere. Content from the premiere generated over 50 million views across digital platforms, while Christopher Nolan and the cast’s memorable stop for chai ahead of the premiere became one of the campaign’s biggest viral moments. Carried by more than 100 entertainment pages, the content generated over 20 million views on Universal Pictures India’s Instagram alone, significantly extending awareness of the IMAX release.
Throughout the theatrical run, audience advocacy remained central to the campaign. Fan reaction videos, testimonials from IMAX viewers, creator collaborations and IMAX creative assets were amplified across digital platforms, reinforcing that The Odyssey was a once-in-a-generation cinematic event best experienced in IMAX.
“The Odyssey’s record-breaking run in India is a testament to Christopher Nolan’s bold vision and the incredible enthusiasm that audiences across the country have shown for experiencing the film in IMAX,” said Preetham Daniel, VP, Theatre Development, India, Korea, South East Asia and Australasia at IMAX. “We’re grateful to Warner Bros. Discovery, Universal Pictures International and our exhibition partners for their partnership throughout this historic run.”
To reward audiences and encourage repeat viewing, an extensive series of in-cinema initiatives was rolled out across the country’s IMAX network. Beginning in opening week, fans across participating IMAX locations could collect one of four limited-edition The Odyssey character pins, encouraging repeat visits to complete the full collection. Exclusive IMAX T-shirt giveaways further elevated the fan experience, rewarding audiences who chose to experience the film in IMAX.
Beginning in Week Two, audiences were introduced to one of the campaign’s most sought-after initiatives with the Framed IMAX 70mm Film Strip. Distributed in limited quantities across participating PVR INOX, Cinepolis India, Miraj Cinemas, Broadway Cinemas and Rajhans Cinemas locations, the original IMAX 70mm Film Strips celebrated The Odyssey’s distinction as the first feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX Film Cameras while giving fans a unique piece of cinematic history. The initiative became an instant favourite among moviegoers and played an important role in sustaining demand beyond opening weekend.
As the theatrical run entered Weeks Three and Four, exhibitors introduced exclusive IMAX artwork posters, ensuring audiences continued to have fresh reasons to return while sustaining momentum throughout the film’s IMAX run.
Mr. Kamal Gianchandani, Chief Strategy Officer, PVR INOX Limited, “PVR INOX is pleased to have played a role in The Odyssey’s historic IMAX journey in India. From hosting Mr Christopher Nolan and the film’s cast at its landmark premiere at PVR ICON Mumbai to partnering with IMAX, Warner Bros., and Universal Pictures International to sustain audience excitement throughout its theatrical run, the journey has been truly remarkable. What stood out most was the extraordinary audience response. Across generations, moviegoers embraced The Odyssey not merely as a film to watch, but as a cinematic experience to revisit and share with friends and family. That sustained enthusiasm propelled The Odyssey from a remarkable opening to becoming India’s highest-grossing IMAX release. It reaffirms that when exceptional storytelling is paired with an unparalleled theatrical experience, audiences don’t just watch a film, they become part of its journey”.
The campaign also celebrated Christopher Nolan’s birthday with a nationwide IMAX initiative that brought together exhibitors across the country. Participating cinemas introduced special pricing for IMAX screenings while opening bookings a week in advance, giving audiences greater flexibility to secure their preferred seats and showtimes.
Regional outreach further expanded the film’s reach through a special Hindi IMAX screening attended by the film’s Hindi dubbing artists, creating a unique fan interaction while introducing new audiences to The Odyssey in IMAX.
Devang Sampat, Managing Director, Cinépolis India, “What stands out about The Odyssey is how the film kept building. Audiences came back, brought others with them, and kept IMAX houses busy deep into the run. Word of mouth has carried the strongest films of the last two years well past their opening weekends, and this one sits at the top of that list. Our job as exhibitors was to make every visit worth repeating, and this milestone shows what studios and exhibitors can achieve when they build a film’s run together.
Cinépolis India rewarded early demand by presenting collectible tickets to the first 1,000 IMAX guests, while driving online engagement through a social media contest based on the film’s mythology, where winners received exclusive The Odyssey merchandise, including jackets and character pins. Additionally, to mark Christopher Nolan’s birthday, Cinépolis gave audiences greater convenience and flexibility by opening bookings a week in advance and offering flexible showtimes.
India’s exhibition partners played a critical role in sustaining audience excitement throughout the film’s theatrical run. In addition to participating in the nationwide IMAX collectibles programme, exhibitors introduced their own localised initiatives that celebrated repeat viewing and deepened fan engagement.”
India’s exhibition partners played a critical role in sustaining audience excitement throughout the film’s theatrical run. In addition to participating in the nationwide IMAX collectibles programme, exhibitors introduced their own localised initiatives that celebrated repeat viewing and deepened fan engagement.
Miraj Cinemas amplified the campaign through movie trivia contests, ticket giveaways and official merchandise campaigns that rewarded audiences throughout the theatrical run. Fans booking their third IMAX screening of The Odyssey at Miraj also had the opportunity to win official movie merchandise, creating another compelling reason to return to IMAX.
Sameer Munshi, COO, Miraj Entertainment Ltd. said, “The response to Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey at Miraj IMAX Wadala has been truly extraordinary. We hosted a pre-release special Hindi and English screening with the film’s Hindi dubbing cast, alongside Ashish Chanchalani and Komal Nahta, and it perfectly reflected what this iconic screen means to movie lovers. This is more than just one of the largest IMAX screens in the country—it is India’s first-ever IMAX location. It feels especially fitting that audiences chose this very screen to experience Nolan’s most ambitious work yet, exactly as he intended it to be seen. What has been even more remarkable is the passion we’ve witnessed from audiences. Fans are not only returning for a second and even a third IMAX viewing, but many have also travelled from cities such as Hyderabad, Indore, and Nagpur just to experience The Odyssey at Miraj IMAX Wadala. To celebrate this incredible enthusiasm, we introduced trivia contests and exclusive merchandise for our most loyal patrons. The Odyssey has reaffirmed that audiences are willing to go the extra mile for an unparalleled cinematic experience, and we are proud that this historic IMAX screen continues to be at the heart of those unforgettable movie moments.”
Kuldeep Singh Sisodiya, CEO- Entertainment- Rajhans Cinemas, “Rajhans Cinemas partnered on the nationwide collectibles programme, including collectible pins, a Framed IMAX 70mm Film Strip and IMAX exclusive artwork posters, helping sustain audience momentum through the later weeks of release.”
Tejal Satish, Chief Operating Officer – Broadway Cinemas adds, “Broadway Cinemas supported the campaign through IMAX programming and continued audience engagement, ensuring moviegoers across its markets could experience The Odyssey in IMAX”.
Collectively, these initiatives transformed The Odyssey from a record-breaking opening weekend into India’s highest-grossing IMAX release. By combining exclusive fan experiences, authentic IMAX memorabilia, audience-first programming and close collaboration between Warner Bros. Discovery, Universal Pictures International, IMAX Corporation and India’s leading exhibition partners, the campaign demonstrated how sustained theatrical marketing can continue building momentum long after release weekend, setting a new benchmark for premium theatrical exhibition in India.
With Rs 63 crore across just 34 IMAX screens in only 17 days and surpassing Oppenheimer’s lifetime IMAX gross of Rs 50 crore, The Odyssey has cemented its place as India’s highest-grossing IMAX release of all time, underlining the extraordinary scale of its historic theatrical run.
