Mumbai: Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' earned $52 million from IMAX screens worldwide during its opening weekend, accounting for 20 per cent of the film's global box office debut and setting multiple records for the premium large-format exhibitor, IMAX Corporation said on Tuesday.
According to the company, the mythological action epic has registered the biggest global and international IMAX opening weekend in comparable markets, excluding China, Japan and South Korea, where the film is yet to be released.
In India, the film has emerged as one of the strongest-performing IMAX releases, raking in about ₹14.6 crore ($1.7 million) in weekend box office.
In North America, 'The Odyssey' grossed $29.6 million from 444 IMAX screens, representing a 23.8 per cent share of the domestic box office.
Internationally, the film collected $22.2 million across 441 IMAX screens in 74 markets, accounting for 16 per cent of the overseas box office.
Twenty-six territories, including France, Germany, Italy, Spain, Australia, Mexico and Argentina, registered their biggest IMAX opening weekends.
The film also recorded the biggest IMAX opening ever for a Christopher Nolan title, a Universal Pictures release and for the month of July.
Additionally, the film performed strongly in IMAX 70mm, with the 41 theatres worldwide capable of projecting the format earning $6.3 million during the opening weekend, averaging about $153,000 per screen.
'The Odyssey' is Nolan's adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem of the same name.
The film follows Odysseus, the King of Ithaca, portrayed by Matt Damon, on his perilous decade-long journey home after the Trojan War as he encounters mythical creatures, gods and formidable challenges while trying to reunite with his wife Penelope and son Telemachus.
The movie, the first feature to be shot entirely with IMAX 70mm film cameras, was filmed using a next-generation IMAX camera developed by the company in collaboration with Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema.
The new camera, named 'The Keighley', was designed to enable synchronised sound recording during production.
IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond described the film as "an instant classic" for the large-screen format.
" 'The Odyssey' is among a rarified group of instant classic blockbusters in IMAX history that fully leverage our platform. Christopher Nolan summoned all his brilliance, imagination, and ambition to lead a world-class cast and crew in making this unforgettable film," Gelfond said in a statement.
The company said 'The Odyssey' will continue its exclusive IMAX run for at least three weeks before expanding to South Korea on August 5, China on August 14 and Japan on September 11.
IMAX 70mm screenings are expected to continue for at least five weeks, with several locations already reporting sold-out shows well into the film's run.
'The Odyssey' also stars Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron.