July is expected to be huge for Hollywood in India, as two highly anticipated films are set to arrive in cinemas. The Odyssey will release on July 17, while Spider-Man: Brand New Day will hit theatres in India on July 30. Though both films are still a month away from release, their advance bookings have already opened for Indian audiences. The bookings of The Odyssey went live on June 8, while yesterday, June 17, viewers got a chance to book tickets for Spider-Man: Brand New Day. The tickets of both films are selling like hot cakes, indicating that they are headed for a strong start at the box office.
Spider-Man films have traditionally enjoyed an IMAX release, but Spider-Man: Brand New Day will be an exception. As of now, bookings have opened only in PXL, 4DX, ScreenX, Marco XE and other such premium formats. A user asked in the comments section of the film’s trailer, posted by Sony Pictures India, whether Spider-Man: Brand New Day would release in IMAX. Sony confirmed, “No IMAX release for Spider-Man: Brand New Day in India, but the film will be available in premium large-format (PLF) screens for an epic big-screen experience”.
As expected, this development has dampened the excitement of fans to some extent. A source explained that this has happened because the superhero film is releasing just two weeks after Christopher Nolan’s period epic. The source told Bollywood Hungama, “The Odyssey is the first film to be shot entirely on IMAX’s 70mm film cameras. Hence, the film will obviously get preferential treatment in the IMAX format. Accordingly, all IMAX screens across the world, including in India, will exclusively play The Odyssey for three weeks.”
The source added, “After three weeks, depending on the response, IMAX theatres will take a call on whether to retain the shows of The Odyssey or reduce them. But if one goes by the performance of Nolan’s last film, Oppenheimer (2023), in IMAX, there’s a slim chance that IMAX screens would reduce the shows of The Odyssey. It’s common knowledge that watching a Nolan film in IMAX is a must. Hence, The Odyssey is expected to continue playing in IMAX for many weeks successfully. In such a scenario, Spider-Man: Brand New Day would obviously lose out on getting an IMAX release.”
Thankfully, it hasn’t affected the hype for the film much. The source added, “Fans have already started booking tickets for Spider-Man: Brand New Day in other formats like PXL, ScreenX, 4DX, Marco XE and other premium formats, which also enhance the moviegoing experience. They have also understood that Nolan’s films require IMAX screens for many weeks.”
Interestingly, Spider-Man: Brand New Day is not the only Marvel film to lose out on IMAX. Avengers: Doomsday, which is scheduled to release later in December, is also expected to skip an IMAX release in several markets, as it clashes with Dune: Part Three. In fact, Disney announced earlier this year that it will introduce a new PLF certification called ‘Infinity Vision’ to screen its multi-starrer superhero film.
Also Read: Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens advance bookings in India almost a month and a half before release
