Spider-Man: Brand New Day‘s massive start at the box office this weekend has convinced Imax to change course and split its screens in North America between Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey and Sony Pictures‘ superhero feature starring Tom Holland and Zendaya.
That’s a change of programming strategy for Imax as Spider-Man: Brand New Day in North America will play in select digital locations from Aug. 6 and comes after the Sony Pictures tentpole in China, Japan and South Korea has so far generated $23 million in box office for the film technologies company.
Christopher Nolan has long been a strong supporter of the Imax platform, but CEO Rich Gelfond’s spidey sense evidently called for a programming change after Spider-Man: Brand New Day soared to a $355 million second-biggest opening weekend ever.
“Spider-Man has been among the most bankable superheroes at the global box office for over two decades — with the franchise delivering $365 million in Imax receipts to date — and Brand New Day is taking that legacy to new heights with its record-breaking opening weekend,” Rich Gelfond, CEO of Imax, said on Monday morning in a statement. “We believe more Spidey fans around the world will want to experience his latest adventure in Imax — and we hope to be a major driver of both new and repeat viewing for the latest hit in this incredible year for moviegoing.”
Gelfond talking up Spider-Man follows the Imax chief only recently touting The Odyssey after its strong opening at the multiplex. For Imax, Nolan’s epic filmed entirely with its proprietary cameras meant The Odyssey has helped spearhead a push by major exhibitors into in-demand premium screens and movies shot with Imax cameras.
But Imax couldn’t help but react to the spectacular opening for Spider-Man. So the Sony Pictures tentpole will share Imax screens with The Odyssey across select digital Imax locations, while Nolan’s tentpole continues to play in all 41 Imax 70mm film locations worldwide. Imax said that The Odyssey will play its network through “at least” September 17.
Having brought in $221 million in Imax global box office to date, The Odyssey still has Imax debuts in South Korea and China in August and Japan in mid-September. Spider-Man in China has earned $19 million on Imax screens, while in South Korea the film set a new record for the biggest Imax opening weekend ever in the market, earning $2.4 million in launch weekend box office.
And even with a shared Imax schedule in Japan, Spider-Man earned $2.2 million in opening weekend box office, Imax said.
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