The Odyssey Lands 20,000 China Screens as Presales Hit RMB39.5 Million
Updated
Updated · Variety · Aug 13
The Odyssey Lands 20,000 China Screens as Presales Hit RMB39.5 Million
3 articles · Updated · Variety · Aug 13
Summary
More than 20,000 mainland China screens will carry Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” from Aug. 14, including about 90% of the country’s nearly 800 Imax sites.
RMB39.5 million in presales had been booked by Aug. 12, while combined preview and presale revenue reached RMB91 million; Maoyan Pro projects a RMB70.4 million opening day.
Imax said it will keep that allocation intact even as “Spider-Man: Brand New Day” continues a strong run, an unusual commitment for a Hollywood title in today’s selective China market.
Nolan’s China tour with Emma Thomas, Matt Damon and Charlize Theron helped drive attention through premieres, fan events and creator outreach that generated trending topics and an estimated 1 billion in combined media reach.
Analyst Adrian Tong said Nolan’s films reliably overperform in Imax in China; with “Oppenheimer” and “Tenet” near $61 million each, a nine-figure run for “The Odyssey” would still be exceptional.
With 90% of China's IMAX screens locked in for tomorrow's release, can Nolan's non-franchise epic actually shatter the elusive nine-figure box office ceiling?
How did a philosophical film overcome cultural barriers to spark a viral phenomenon among a billion Chinese netizens ahead of its massive premiere?