Christopher Nolan’s epic film, The Odyssey, has made history by becoming the biggest film of all time at the UK’s largest cinema, the BFI IMAX. The film has sold over 101,000 admissions, generating a staggering £2,683,987 in ticket sales from a single screen, with a 95% occupancy rate across all showtimes currently on sale.

This achievement makes The Odyssey the highest-grossing film ever at the BFI IMAX, surpassing James Cameron’s 2009 blockbuster, Avatar. The film has also taken the top spot at the BFI IMAX as the number one IMAX venue in both the UK and international markets, with the London cinema also ranking as the second-highest grossing IMAX screen globally, behind the TCL Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles, which has almost double the capacity.

The Odyssey is the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, and audiences can experience the film in its intended presentation, screened from a rare IMAX 70mm print at the BFI IMAX in London. The venue’s massive screen, measuring 26 metres wide by almost 20 metres high, provides an immersive cinematic experience for viewers.

The film has been a huge success at the BFI IMAX, with tickets selling out for weeks in advance. The complete top ten highest-grossing films of all time at the BFI IMAX, including five more features directed by BFI Fellow Nolan, are:

• THE ODYSSEY (Christopher Nolan, 2026)
• AVATAR (James Cameron, 2009)
• OPPENHEIMER (Christopher Nolan, 2023)
• STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS (J.J. Abrams, 2015)
• THE DARK KNIGHT (Christopher Nolan, 2008)
• THE DARK KNIGHT RISES (Christopher Nolan, 2012)
• DUNE: PART TWO (Denis Villeneuve, 2024)
• DUNKIRK (Christopher Nolan, 2017)
• INTERSTELLAR (Christopher Nolan, 2014)
• AVATAR: THE WAY OF WATER (James Cameron, 2022)

Last month, the BFI IMAX was the number one IMAX venue in both the UK and international markets for The Odyssey’s opening weekend, with a three-day gross of £219,867. This achievement made the film the top of the all-time BFI IMAX opening weekend box office rankings. The movie also shattered the BFI IMAX’s one-day presale record in June, selling 28,000 tickets in the first 24 hours for a gross revenue of £750,000.

In anticipation of the film’s launch, the same venue hosted a popular Nolan retrospective, showcasing the director’s previous works.