Two Metro Vancouver movie theatres are basking in The Odyssey’s box office glow. Here’s why
Christopher Nolan’s epic drives fans to premium large-format screens in Richmond and Langley
By Dana Gee
Last updated 1 day ago
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The Odyssey continues to sail along at the box office and two local theatres are cashing in.
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After opening July 17, director Christopher Nolan’s Greek epic has pulled in a whopping $639.6 million globally, with $286.4 million of that from the U.S. and Canada. Analysts predict it will easily reach the $1-billion mark.
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Two Metro Vancouver movie theatres are basking in The Odyssey’s box office glow. Here’s why Back to video
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Two Metro Vancouver theatres — SilverCity in Richmond and Cineplex Cinemas in Langley — are getting a boost from the buzz thanks to the fact that they’re among just nine movie theatres in Canada to have Imax 70-millimetre screens. There are only 41 such screens globally showing Nolan’s film, the first feature to be shot entirely in Imax.
Advance tickets (price is close to $30 for an adult) for the Odyssey in Imax went on sale nearly a year ago, and sales are still going strong. Well into August, the Langley and Richmond theatres are sold out, except for the very front rows.
The 70 millimetres theatres accounted for just over $11 million in global ticket sales in the film’s first two weeks in theatres.
“The Odyssey is a highly anticipated film and there has been a ton of excitement leading up to its release,” said Caroline Edwards senior manager, strategic content and communications for Cineplex Canada. “It’s been great to see guests embracing premium experiences, including UltraAVX, VIP, D-BOX, Imax and Imax 70mm, since the film was released earlier this month.”
Cineplex reports in general there has been a growing demand for premium experiences, with some guests choosing to see a film multiple times in different formats.
According to Edwards, Cineplex, a publicly traded company, does not normally disclose revenues or box office sales.
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Specialty screens are proving to be a draw for theatregoers, according to Imax CEO Richard Gelfond.
“Imax 70 millimetre film has become among the hottest tickets in the world,” Gelfond said recently during a conference call with analysts, as reported by CNBC. “Fans are flying across countries, if not continents, to experience The Odyssey and Imax 70-millimetre.”
Nolan’s film stars Matt Damon as the legendary Greek king of Ithaca and Trojan War veteran trying to get home. The star-studded cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o and Charlize Theron. Earning 94 per cent on the film review website Rotten Tomatoes, The Odyssey has been heralded as a masterpiece in filmmaking as Nolan opted for practical sets over CGI, which was only used in post production.
“If you go see the movie — and I highly suggest you do — you’ll understand. The scale is incredible,” said Vancouver stunt performer Devyn Dalton, who was Matt Damon’s body double in the film. “Walking onto those sets was something I’ll never forget.”
