Imax China prepares full Odyssey rollout on nearly 800 screens
Imax China prepares full network support for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey, planning to play the film across a very large majority—if not all—of its nearly 800 screens in opening week after the Aug. 14 mainland China release, CEO Daniel Manwaring told Variety. The push underscores how strongly Imax is betting on Nolan's epic as a premium theatrical event for Chinese audiences.
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Key Takeaways
- Imax China expects most or all of its nearly 800 screens to play The Odyssey in week one.
- Mainland China opens Aug. 14; city previews run Aug. 1–2 in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen.
- Nolan and Matt Damon are due in Beijing on July 30 for the first commercial-film red carpet at the China National Film Museum.
- CEO Daniel Manwaring cites the "Christopher Nolan effect" as the top reason for Imax's confidence.
- Maoyan Pro logged more than 252,000 "want to see" registrations by July 24, leading upcoming imports.
Why is Imax China going all-in on The Odyssey?
Manwaring told Variety he expects "a very large majority of our entire network, if not all of our network," to play the film that first week. He said anticipation "is going to be enormous," adding he personally receives 50 to 60 WeChat messages a day from people seeking tickets.
He framed The Odyssey as more of a first-tier city title, akin to how the film's strongest U.S. markets are likely New York, Los Angeles, and Chicago. Early Imax box office share in Hong Kong and Taiwan has already topped 30% in both markets, with combined receipts approaching half a million dollars.
When does The Odyssey open in China, and what events are planned?
The film opens in mainland China on Aug. 14. Previews begin Aug. 1 and 2 in Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen, with one screening per day before wide release. Pre-sales in mainland China had not yet opened when Variety published its exclusive.
Nolan and star Matt Damon are set to arrive in Beijing on July 30 for what Manwaring called the first-ever red carpet for a commercial film at the China National Film Museum. Two Beijing screenings are planned, plus a separate event at an Imax theater at Universal Beijing Resort.
How big is the Christopher Nolan effect with Chinese audiences?
Manwaring said Nolan has become "bigger than any movie star" in China, with a following that is "enormous" and "extremely sticky." He traced a growing "snowball" from a Memento re-release through The Dark Knight films and Oppenheimer, which he called the clearest illustration of the trend.
Oppenheimer took in about $9 million in China in its first five days and closed near $20 million. Maoyan Pro data cited by Variety showed Oppenheimer's mainland run at RMB452 million ($66.8 million), with Imax contributing RMB137 million ($20.2 million)—over 30% of that total. Asked what gives him confidence The Odyssey can be a genuine event movie, Manwaring named the "Christopher Nolan effect" as the single biggest reason.
As of July 24, Maoyan Pro's cumulative "want to see" count for The Odyssey had surpassed 252,000, ahead of every other upcoming imported title on the platform, though still below Spider-Man: Brand New Day's 810,000. Interest skewed to tier-one and tier-two cities and moderate-to-frequent moviegoers.
What else is shaping Imax China's second-half outlook?
Imax China's first-half revenue and profit declined after a softer Lunar New Year slate and a dry April–May stretch, especially for local-language titles. Manwaring pointed to a stronger second half with Spider-Man: Brand New Day, The Odyssey, local hit Kung Fu Soccer, and Disney's upcoming Avengers: Doomsday.
There are still no 70mm Imax locations in Asia, though Manwaring said the company is in "very serious discussion" to bring the format to the region. China's six mainland GT laser theaters have become pilgrimage sites since Ne Zha 2, he added, as Chinese audiences scrutinize screen specs more closely than many U.S. viewers.