Industry News
by saidiontheside

saidi’s take 7/21/2026

Hello everyone,

BOX OFFICE: As expected, “The Odyssey” ruled the box office making the 3rd best opening weekend of 2026 (best for a live action movie) with $123 million.  “Moana” was a distant second although it ADDED 325 screens this past weekend with $17.9 million.  Its domestic total is slightly above $80 million (about two thirds of “The Odyssey”).  “Toy Story 5” made $13.7 million for #3.  Its domestic total is $430 million – it just slipped past “The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” (about $200 thousand over) to become the #1 movie at the domestic box office for 2026 so far.

Total domestic weekend rose almost 50% (actually 47%) to $188.2 million.

WORLDWIDE BOX OFFICE: “The Odyssey” also did very well internationally making a worldwide total of $214 million.  Meanwhile, “Michael” is now about $560 thousand away from being the #1 movie worldwide for 2026 so far (“The Super Mario Galaxy Movie” is at $1.010692 billion – “Michael is $1.010133 billion).  Also, “Toy Story 5” is now approaching $1 BILLION worldwide currently at $957 million.

OTHER NEWS:

  • A judge just put a temporary halt to the Paramount – Warner Bros merger today due to the several states that are suing over the merger.
  • “The Batman Part 2” has been delayed again.  It was scheduled for Oct 1, 2027 but now has been pushed back to Feb 18, 2028
  • According to the lobby of the Village Theater in Westwood Village currently showing “The Odyssey” in 70mm, once the theater is completely remodeled it will reopen as “Directors Village Theater” sometime in 2027.  See this link for a shot of the promo for the remodeled theater.

“THE ODYSSEY” NEWS

  • After I posted the story about how expensive it was to show 70mm IMAX movies another article (at this link) said that IMAX hired and trained all the projectionists that are running the 70mm IMAX projectors.  No word on what they’ll do after “The Odyssey” is done until another 70mm IMAX movie opens (which might not be until “Dune 3” in December).
  • They’re saying that there are NO PREVIEWS playing with the 70mm IMAX “The Odyssey” except for a special 4-min clip from “Dune 3” so of you’re going to see it make sure to get there on time.
  • According to this social media clip, at least one theater showing 70mm IMAX “The Odyssey” was shut down due to the projector overheating.

LITTLE BIT OF HUMOR: Another social media post about “The Odyssey”

$50 PER TICKET!!!!!  The social media post says

“This is EXACTLY the reason I don’t go to the movies much anymore. $53.50 to see “The Odyssey” in IMAX 70mm at Palms here in Vegas is a pill I’m not willing to swallow.” 

I DO NOT BLAME HIM.  Unless it was a special presentation (like “The Wizard of Oz” at Sphere Las Vegas) this is WAY WAY TOO MUCH to charge for a movie ticket.  No wonder the movie made so much money this weekend.