Jun 22, 2026 7:20pm IST
‘The Odyssey’ Blocks All Imax Screens In India and Worldwide, ‘Spider-Man: Brand New Day’ Banks on Other Premium Formats Instead
With Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” effectively blocking all Imax screens in India for several weeks post release (July 17), leaving "Spider-Man: Brand New Day," which releases July 31 with no Imax screens to their name. The premium-format giant’s screen rollout is clearly in favor of the Nolan film, worldwide and not just in India. In fact, the Imax Investor Relations ‘Blockbuster Slate’ clearly omits the upcoming “Spider-Man” film in the titles scheduled for exhibition. Speaking to Variety India, IMAX confirmed, "We are not playing 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' in India."
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The Battle for Premium Screens
While "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" was framed and shot for Imax with a 1.90:1 aspect ratio, "The Odyssey" is the first feature film photographed entirely using IMAX 70mm cameras. As a result, it has been given top priority for IMAX screen allocations.
Despite the lack of an Imax rollout, "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" has already posted the strongest first-day U.S. advance ticket sales for any film in the past five years. Moreover, it has the 4th biggest presale of all time for a movie. It is only behind “Avengers: Endgame,” “Spider-Man: No Way Home,” and “Star Wars: The Force Awakens.”
In India, the movie sold over 45,000 tickets within the first 24 hours across select Premium Large Format (PLF) and 4DX screens.
The film is also positioning itself around alternative premium formats. Director Destin Daniel Cretton has revealed that the movie was specifically shot for ScreenX. Interestingly, it became the first film designed for the 270-degree format, which extends imagery onto the side walls of the auditorium. Instead, it is focusing on releasing in the ScreenX format.
For Indian audiences, the movie will be available in Mumbai, Bangalore, and Kolkata if they prefer viewing it in this format. Having said that, other available formats include EPIC HDR, Dolby Cinema, PCX, EPIQ, Luxon LED, and Barco HDR.
A Guide to Premium Cinema Formats
Here’s a quick cheat sheet of common cinema release formats and what makes each unique:
IMAX: Massive screen, enhanced projection, and powerful sound for maximum immersion.
IMAX with Laser: Premium IMAX using laser projectors for brighter images, deeper contrast, and richer colours.
ScreenX: Extends scenes onto the side walls, creating a 270-degrees panoramic viewing experience.
4DX: Adds moving seats and effects like wind, water, scents, and vibrations synchronized with the movie.
MX4D: Similar to 4DX, combining seat motion and environmental effects for a theme-park-like experience.
Dolby Cinema: Combines Dolby Vision HDR projection with Dolby Atmos sound for exceptional picture and audio quality.
Dolby Atmos: Advanced sound system that places audio all around and above the audience.
RPX: Large-screen auditorium with upgraded projection and sound.
XD: Giant wall-to-wall screen with enhanced audio and digital projection.
ICE: Uses LED side panels and lighting effects to extend visuals beyond the main screen.
D-BOX: Motion-enabled seats provide physical feedback without additional environmental effects.
RealD 3D: The most common 3D format, using polarized glasses for depth perception.
IMAX 3D: Large-format IMAX presentation combined with stereoscopic 3D visuals.
70mm: Traditional large-format film projection known for exceptional detail and image quality.
70mm IMAX: The highest-resolution analog IMAX film format, often considered the gold standard for image clarity.
Past Battles for Premium Screens
Perhaps the most famous recent clash was between “Oppenheimer” and “Mission: Impossible 7.” “Mission: Impossible 7” debuted on Imax screens on July 12, but had to vacate them after just one week because “Oppenheimer” had secured a three-week IMAX exclusivity window. The situation reportedly frustrated Tom Cruise and became a major industry talking point. In fact, the long feud between 'Barbenheimer' also ended with "Barbie" not initially receiving an Imax release. It was released in standard 2D formats and premium Dolby Cinema format in July, followed by an IMAX format release in September.
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When the clash took place in 2023, Imax CEO Rich Gelfond had told Variety, "I feel sad in a way we can’t accommodate all of them. I know ‘Mission: Impossible’ is going to be a really big movie. Nolan has a special place in Imax's heart because he uses our cameras and promotes us. It’s not a matter of us saying which we can make more money on. I would hope after ‘Oppenheimer’s’ run, we can bring back ‘Mission.'”
The 2025 films “War 2” and “Coolie” were embroiled in controversy when the premium-format giant committed to screening the Hrithik Roshan starrer, leaving the Rajinikanth starrer to take matters into their own hands. The major rift began when the "Coolie" makers dropped a poster with the Imax logo sans approvals.
Another clash between “Dune: Part Three” and “Avengers: Doomsday” is expected later this year, as both films are releasing on December 18. "Avengers: Doomsday" is releasing on Infinity Vision worldwide. It is an alternate premium large format announced by Disney and Marvel. "Dune: Part Three" is exclusively releasing on Imax70mm Film, which is the highest-resolution analog film format in cinema.
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