Tickets up to Rs 3,000 and all-day shows: 'The Odyssey' set for phenomenal India opening

Mumbai, Jul 16 (PTI) With shows opening at 6.30 am on Friday and closing at 11.55 pm, Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey" is set for a phenomenal India start with exhibitors and trade experts expecting the film to surpass the business of director's previous hit "Oppenheimer". Tickets for the film, an adaptation of Homer's Greek epic, range from Rs 900 to Rs 3,000. And they are selling fast. On Thursday, for instance, the the IMAX 2D format ticket priced at Rs 3,100 (recliner seats) at Mumbai's PVR Phoenix Palladium was fully booked for the 10 am show on day one Friday. Several exhibitors, including Ashish Mishra of Cinepolis India and Bihar-based exhibitor Vishek Chauhan, predict that the opening day collection could be in the region of Rs 20 crore and the weekend could see earnings of up to Rs 60 crore. Nolan's last blockbuster, the 2023 "Oppenheimer", earned Rs 157.50 crore in India. His latest, an epic extravaganza starring Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Tom Holland, is the first film ever to be entirely shot in IMAX format. The director has used the technology to introduce new age audiences to the 3,000-year-old story about Odysseus voyage through treacherous seas and vengeful gods to reach his home Ithaca. According to Kamal Gianchandani, chief business planning & strategy, PVR INOX Ltd and the president of the Multiplex Association of India (MAI), there is tremendous excitement for "The Odyssey" in India and the advance sales numbers back that. "We have seen some robust numbers there, much better than what we have seen in the past. I believe the opening will definitely beat 'Oppenheimer'. And it will definitely be the highest opening of a Hollywood film in this year till date," Gianchandani told PTI. The excitement surrounding 'The Odyssey' is a reminder that, even in an era of endless entertainment choices, truly event-worthy films continue to bring audiences to theatres in extraordinary numbers, added Ashish Mishra, head of commercialisation, Cinepolis India. "Advance bookings indicate the film is on track for a Rs 20 crore opening day in India, potentially surpassing 'Oppenheimer's' opening and reaffirming Christopher Nolan's unique ability to turn a theatrical release into a cultural event," Mishra said. As the first feature film shot entirely with 65 mm IMAX cameras, "The Odyssey" has created unprecedented demand for IMAX, with advance bookings approaching full capacity for the opening weekend. Nolan was in India last week for the premiere of the movie in Mumbai along with Damon and Holland. India is a place where Nolan enjoys a movie star-like popularity with a filmography that includes "Memento", "The Prestige", "The Dark Knight" trilogy, "Inception", "Interstellar", "Dunkirk" and his last release, the multiple Oscar-winner "Oppenheimer". Sameer Munshi, vice president, operations & F&B, Miraj Entertainment Ltd, said the advance booking for the film opened a month ago and is already exceptional. He is also expecting a strong walk-in audience. "The demand has prompted us to significantly widen our show windows. At our IMAX Wadala (Mumbai) property alone, we’re already running six shows a day, starting as early as 6.30 am and going right up to a late-night 11.55 pm show. "Early morning slots, which are usually a hard sell, are seeing solid bookings, and the late night show is becoming its own event, especially with fans wanting the big-screen experience without changing their weekday schedules," Munshi said. As he sees it, Nolan is that rare filmmaker whose audience is format conscious and is driving the demand for IMAX and premium large-format screens. "(It's) genuinely one of the strongest advance booking numbers we’ve seen for an IMAX release. Our IMAX shows are almost sold out for the entire opening weekend, and this isn’t just a metro phenomenon... (Nolan's) fandom is now travelling well beyond the usual big-city crowd," he said. Gianchandani, who attended the premiere of "The Odyssey" in Mumbai, sees Nolan's India trip right before the film's international release as a "big validation of the growing importance" the theatrical market here. "This is a big milestone in the journey of Hollywood films in this country. It will give a lot of boost to the box office revenue because the awareness of 'The Odyssey' has gone to another level," he said. Trade expert Girish Wankhede agreed, saying Nolan's recent trip to Mumbai generated a lot of excitement. It's not just the metros. "The buzz is far stronger for ‘The Odyssey’ across metros and tier 2 and 3 cities as well because it’s a huge film. It is releasing in Telugu, Tamil and Malayalam, and Hindi. Tthe opening day collection should be over Rs 15-18 crore, and over the weekend it should do over Rs 50 crore across languages in India," he said. Distributor-exhibitor Akshay Rathi, who owns theatres in Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh, also said "The Odyssey" is poised to open at Rs 20 crore plus in India. He said markets like Jaipur, Ranchi and Coimbatore are responding well too. "... And that too on a limited number of screens because it requires Digital Cinema Initiatives (DCI) compliance screens or other screens eligible due to the required technology. With the IMAX screens firing all guns at ticket prices that are among the highest it looks like a ballistic opening weekend of Rs 75 crore plus in India." Raj Bansal, a film distributor and director of Entertainment Paradise in Jaipur, is of the view that the good reviews will boost ticket sales. "Those who’ve already watched the film have only good things to say about it. We are expecting a huge opening from the film," he said. Bihar-based exhibitor and distributor Vishek Chauhan said "The Odyssey" phenomenon is not just limited to big cities. "The film should earn over Rs 60 crore in the weekend... The audience rewards a filmmaker like him, they see his belief system, his passion for cinema comes across, and his commitment to theatrical is his edge," he said. The demand for "The Odyssey" is equally great in the southern belt where Vijay's "Jan Nayagan" is also slated for release a week later. "The buzz around ‘The Odyessy’ in south India is unlike anything we’ve seen for a Hollywood film outside the established superhero franchises. Christopher Nolan has built an exceptionally strong theatrical following in markets like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Telangana, and Kerala, where audiences actively seek the first-day, first-show experience," Chennai-based trade expert Ramesh Bala said. PTI KKP RB BK MIN MIN