Highlights:
- 6:30 a.m. shows added to meet overwhelming demand.
- Premium IMAX tickets priced up to $36 sold out before release.
- Opening weekend projections exceed $7 million in India.
- Expected to outperform Nolan’s Oppenheimer opening at the Indian box office.
- Strong demand across metros and smaller cities, with releases in Hindi, Tamil, Telugu, and Malayalam.
With shows beginning at 6:30 a.m. on Friday (17) and running until 11:55 p.m., Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is set for a phenomenal opening in India, with exhibitors and trade experts expecting the film to surpass the performance of the director’s previous hit, Oppenheimer.
Tickets for the film, an adaptation of Homer’s Greek epic, range from about $10 to $35, and they are selling quickly.
On Thursday, for example, IMAX 2D recliner seats priced at about $36 for the 10 a.m. opening-day show at Mumbai’s PVR Phoenix Palladium were completely sold out.
Several exhibitors, including Ashish Mishra of Cinepolis India and Bihar-based exhibitor Vishek Chauhan, predict the film could earn about $2.3 million on opening day, with the opening weekend reaching around $7 million.
Nolan’s previous blockbuster, the 2023 Oscar winner Oppenheimer, earned approximately $18.3 million at the Indian box office.
His latest film, an epic starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, and Tom Holland, is the first feature ever shot entirely with IMAX cameras. Nolan uses the format to bring Homer’s 3,000-year-old story of Odysseus’ journey through dangerous seas and vengeful gods on his return to Ithaca to modern audiences.
According to Kamal Gianchandani, Chief Business Planning & Strategy Officer at PVR INOX Ltd. and President of the Multiplex Association of India (MAI), advance sales indicate exceptional demand.
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“We have seen some robust numbers there, much better than what we have seen in the past. I believe the opening will definitely beat Oppenheimer. And it will definitely be the highest opening of a Hollywood film this year,” Gianchandani said.
Ashish Mishra, Head of Commercialization at Cinepolis India, said the excitement demonstrates that major theatrical events continue to attract audiences despite the abundance of entertainment choices.
“Advance bookings indicate the film is on track for a $2.3 million opening day in India, potentially surpassing Oppenheimer’s opening and reaffirming Christopher Nolan’s unique ability to turn a theatrical release into a cultural event,” Mishra said.
As the first feature film shot entirely with 65 mm IMAX cameras, The Odyssey has created unprecedented demand for IMAX screenings, with advance bookings nearing full capacity for opening weekend.
Nolan visited India last week with Damon and Holland for the Mumbai premiere.
India remains one of Nolan’s strongest international markets, with audiences embracing films including Memento, The Prestige, The Dark Knight trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer.
Sameer Munshi, Vice President of Operations & F&B at Miraj Entertainment Ltd., said advance bookings opened a month ago and have exceeded expectations.
“The demand has prompted us to significantly widen our show windows. At our IMAX Wadala property alone, we’re already running six shows a day, starting as early as 6:30 a.m. and going right up to an 11:55 p.m. show.
“Early morning slots, which are usually a hard sell, are seeing solid bookings, and the late-night show is becoming its own event, especially with fans wanting the big-screen experience without changing their weekday schedules,” Munshi said.
He added that Nolan is one of the few filmmakers whose audience specifically seeks premium large-format experiences.
“It’s genuinely one of the strongest advance booking numbers we’ve seen for an IMAX release. Our IMAX shows are almost sold out for the entire opening weekend, and this isn’t just a metro phenomenon. Nolan’s fandom is now spreading well beyond the usual big-city audience,” he said.
Gianchandani believes Nolan’s visit to Mumbai before the international release highlights the growing importance of India’s theatrical market.
“This is a big milestone in the journey of Hollywood films in this country. It will give a big boost to the box office because awareness of The Odyssey has gone to another level,” he said.
Trade analyst Girish Wankhede agreed, saying Nolan’s visit generated tremendous excitement.
“The buzz is far stronger for The Odyssey across metropolitan areas as well as Tier 2 and Tier 3 cities because it’s a huge film. It is releasing in Telugu, Tamil, Malayalam, and Hindi. Opening day should exceed $1.7–2.1 million, and the weekend should cross $5.8 million across all languages in India,” he said.
Distributor and exhibitor Akshay Rathi, who owns theaters across Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Madhya Pradesh, also expects the film to open above $2.3 million.
He noted that markets including Jaipur, Ranchi, and Coimbatore are also showing strong demand.
“With IMAX screens selling at some of the highest ticket prices in the market, it looks like a ballistic opening weekend of more than $8.8 million in India,” Rathi said.
Film distributor Raj Bansal, director of Entertainment Paradise in Jaipur, believes positive reviews will further drive ticket sales.
“Those who’ve already watched the film have only good things to say about it. We are expecting a huge opening,” he said.
Chauhan echoed that optimism.
“The film should earn over $7 million during the weekend. Audiences reward a filmmaker like Nolan because they recognize his belief system, his passion for cinema, and his commitment to the theatrical experience,” he said.
The demand is equally strong in southern India, where Vijay’s Jana Nayagan is scheduled to release a week later.
“The buzz around The Odyssey in South India is unlike anything we’ve seen for a Hollywood film outside the established superhero franchises. Christopher Nolan has built an exceptionally strong theatrical following in markets like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala, where audiences actively seek the first-day, first-show experience,” Chennai-based trade analyst Ramesh Bala said.
