‘The Odyssey’Demolishes Yoda’s Force Grip Of Record-Holding ‘Star Wars’ Numbers At London’s BFI IMAX Opening Weekend
Movie theatre owners worldwide are actively wiping away tears of restored faith in their business venture thanks to Nolan’s Latest Epic, “The Odyssey.” The relentless pounding of war drums and waves slamming against the hull of Greek ships as they rip across the sea, leaving dead armies and blood-soaked sails in their wake, can and should only be seen in IMAX!
The BFI IMAX Sets a New Worldwide Opening Weekend Record
If you were fortunate enough to be one of the individuals who witnessed the Christopher Nolan epic at the British Film Institute (BFI) during July 17-19, you and your plus-one made cinema history. The U. K’s gigantic movie screen is located at the British Film Institute in their near-historic IMAX theater. It has been home to Nolan’s IMAX releases all along the way, and is honored to have been the most sought-out host for his latest massive hit, “The Odyssey.”
Everyone involved in the mammoth film venture couldn’t be more pleased with the record-smashing numbers during the 3-day stint of mopping the floor with the competition, Hollywood at its finest, latest most star-heavy feature.
That U.K IMAX screen cranked itself up to the record-breaking top IMAX venue, dominating domestic and worldwide markets during its 3-day jaw-clenchingly tense stay from July 17-19th. Nolan’s nearly three-hour epic, shot entirely with IMAX cameras, was finally released.
Box Office Numbers Show Christopher Nolan’s Drawing Power
According to The Hollywood Reporter, “The Odyssey’s” triple-day box office hit totals rang up at £219,867 ($296,147), all stemming from the BFI’s single IMAX screen. This was the most lucrative opening weekend for the box office’s bottom line worldwide. The BFI IMAX screen is centrally located in London at Waterloo, making it the largest film screen in the United Kingdom, measuring 85 feet wide by 66 feet.
On the domestic side of this Nolan IMAX equation, there are only 34 “true” IMAX screens, 25 U.S. theaters, and 9 in Canada with the capability to project “The Odyssey” in IMAX 70mm. They have collectively served up $29.6 million in North American IMAX box office on over 400 total IMAX screens. The global totals have reached 52 million.
How “The Odyssey” Fits Christopher Nolan’s Signature Storytelling
Fans of Nolan’s previous films will not be disappointed with his latest venture into what seems to be a handful of the creative genius’s favorite themes. From “The Dark Knight” trilogy all the way back to “Memento,” Nolan’s movies consistently deal with a protagonist who is actively attempting to piece his shattered life back together, using all the tools available to him, whether they be other individuals involved in the mayhem or notes tattooed all over their person.
“The Odyssey” provides us with the natural next evolution in the layers that make up Nolan’s brand of storytelling. Matt Damon cranks his Odysseus performance out of the park with subtleties in the form of nuanced glances and various forms of nonverbal communication. It is easily one of his deepest digs into himself that he has had to create for the sake of keeping the cinematic character development unwinding at a consistently intriguing pace.
The Battle of Troy Creates the Film’s Most Unforgettable Moments
Unlike Nolan’s catalog of prior films, “The Odyssey” brings messages of hope and survival at the cost of Odysseus’s unfortunate crew members, who find themselves getting caught up in the slaughter bus that rams its way through the entire 3-hour film. At one point, after a group of soldiers manages to escape one of the film’s freakishly creepy oversized monsters, one of them shouts at Odysseus, “We must stop and make a pyre to burn and honor our fallen brothers!” Damon, who plays Odysseus, calmly and firmly replies, “We will honor them by surviving; there’s no time to lose, let’s GO!”
Why “The Odyssey” Could Become Christopher Nolan’s Biggest IMAX Experience Yet
From the brilliance of the cinematography showcasing the Trojan horse siege throughout the sacking of Troy and the brutally traumatic foe vs foe hand to blade moments, the viewer walks right through the heat of the most visceral battle the world’s kingdoms have ever witnessed.
You are side by side with Odysseus while he wanders through Troy, burning down around him, and you realize you’re witnessing the single most powerful event in this individual’s life; he’s not just in a state of shock; Odysseus is forever changed. Another four fathoms of depth are being added to his character right now.
As in Nolan’s “Oppenheimer,” which depicts the creation and detonation of the A-bomb, the audience, along with the protagonist, realizes in real time one crucial fact: life on planet Earth will never be the same. All of that potential energy in the form of battle plans on parchment or paper turned into a kinetic disaster through their actions alone.
