Christopher Nolan’s latest film, The Odyssey, has demonstrated the growing influence of premium large formats (PLFs) like IMAX in revitalizing the cinema experience. Universal Pictures heavily promoted that Nolan shot the entire film using IMAX 70mm cameras, a first for a narrative feature. This strategy paid off as half of the North American opening weekend audience opted for premium formats, with 23% choosing IMAX. Globally, The Odyssey earned $81.4 million through IMAX screenings and $264.1 million overall, highlighting consumers’ willingness to pay more for an immersive theatrical experience that cannot be replicated at home.

The success of The Odyssey is part of a broader trend in 2026, where PLFs are impacting box office results across various genres beyond traditional action blockbusters. Films such as Project Hail Mary, which opened with $28 million in IMAX global box office, and the Michael Jackson biopic Michael, with 48% of its U.S. opening weekend tickets sold through premium formats, underscore this phenomenon. Family-friendly movies like The Super Mario Galaxy Movie and Toy Story 5 also saw strong contributions from IMAX and other premium formats. These results reflect the growing market share of premium formats within the domestic box office, rising to 5.2% post-pandemic from 3.2% before.

This resurgence of premium formats is tied to shifting audience preferences, particularly among Gen Z viewers who value shared, event-driven experiences that differentiate cinema from streaming. Hollywood studios have become more adept at marketing the technical aspects of IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, and ScreenX, emphasizing features like expanded aspect ratios, immersive sound, and specialized projection. Christopher Nolan played a notable role in elevating the IMAX brand by pushing technological boundaries, including the development of lighter, quieter cameras used in The Odyssey. Such innovations create anticipation and consumer demand, leading to sold-out showings and encouraging theaters to invest in premium format installations.

Looking ahead, the momentum for premium formats shows no signs of slowing. A robust pipeline of upcoming 2026 and 2027 releases—such as Dune: Part Three, Godzilla x Kong: Supernova, The Legend of Zelda, and several Marvel titles—is already being prepared and marketed for PLFs. Studios are also innovating ways to further enhance the premium experience, exemplified by Marvel’s Infinity Vision certification for specific theaters. Ultimately, PLFs are helping to redefine theatrical film exhibition by transforming moviegoing into an immersive, event-like occasion that sustains box office revenue in an era dominated by streaming.