Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Drives Imax to Record $175 Million Quarter

Imax booked $175 million in revenue for the third quarter of 2026 — its biggest quarterly take ever, powered by Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" becoming the company's highest-grossing release of all time.

The numbers are not subtle. Revenue rose 64% from the $106.7 million Imax reported in the same period of 2025. Net income reached $117.1 million, a 400% jump from $22.6 million a year earlier. Adjusted earnings per share climbed to $2.21, up 370% from 47 cents.

By Daniel Okafor

How big was 'The Odyssey' for Imax?

Enormous. The film grossed more than $550 million on Imax screens worldwide. That represents 30% of its $1.8 billion global total. The previous record-holder on the format, 2009's "Avatar," managed $271 million — not adjusted for inflation. So Nolan's epic roughly doubled it.

The reason is mechanical as much as artistic. "The Odyssey" was the first feature shot entirely with Imax cameras; other tentpoles (studio blockbusters) use the technology only for select sequences. The rest of the quarter's top earners were "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," "Resident Evil" and "Avengers Endgame Encore."

Imax's worldwide box office tally for the period stood at $712 million, up 94% from $368 million a year ago, in what the company described as the industry's biggest post-pandemic summer.

CEO Rich Gelfond put it in grander terms. "What Imax achieved goes beyond simply a 'great quarter' and transcends the many records we shattered in the period," Gelfond said. "What we believe we are witnessing is an awakening to the power and potential of our platform to impact global culture, unlock new commercial opportunities, and inspire a new level of demand and awe in audiences around the world."

An awakening, then. Quarterly results as revival meeting.

Why are audiences choosing the big screen?

The couch, apparently, has competition. Imax says viewers increasingly seek out large-format screens to differentiate the theatrical experience from streaming at home — a shift Gelfond ties to a broader cultural current.

"This 'Imax awakening' sits inside a bigger culture shift of people around the world — particularly young people — seeking connection, community, and shared experiences that feel bigger than any one person's screen," Gelfond said. "Imax has always delivered these moments, and we believe this trend has only begun to benefit our business."

The expansion follows the demand. Imax has signed agreements for over 100 systems worldwide so far in 2026, with 65% of them earmarked for entirely new locations.

Can the record run continue?

The calendar says yes. "Dune: Part Three" and "Avengers: Doomsday" — the latter playing only in Imax in China — arrive in December, and the company now expects to exceed its earlier projection of $1.4 billion for 2026. Last year Imax set its global record at $1.2 billion.

"We are excited for the year ahead and confident in our belief that there has never been a better time to be in the Imax business," Gelfond said.

Two blockbusters and a format-exclusive in the world's second-largest market. The projection, for once, looks conservative.