After a two-year slump, people are once again filling the seats of theaters across the globe in a sweeping return to the cinema. After what’s become a struggle between multiple streaming services offering VOD, and some production companies opting for that route, directors likeJordan Peeleare working hard to keep the magic of cinema alive. With his recent third feature filmNope, Peele made it a point,during the writing and filming processto make his sci-fi summer blockbuster an IMAX spectacle, in keeping with the movie’s theme. With a resounding “yes,“Nopeis leading IMAX numbers, pulling in a $9 million global weekend.
Films are being made specifically for IMAX screens, from the enormity ofJoseph Kosinski’sTop Gun: Maverickbecomingthe ninth highest grossing filmin history toChristopher Nolan’s affinity for the big,bigscreen and his highly-anticipated biopicOppenheimerset for the summer of 2023. This year, the IMAX sweetheart is Peele’s earth-invasion subgenreNope, which was intentionally shot with IMAX cameras. According to Universal Pictures,Nopestacked up $5.2 million in IMAX box office alone, totaling 11.8% of the domestic cumulations, garnered from only 403 IMAX screens. These reports are fromopening weekend alone. While international markets won’t catch a glimpse of this out-of-this-world spectacle until mid-August, Peele’s spectacle will continue accumulating across North America throughout the week.
CEO of IMAX, Rich Gelfond, had high praise, saying:
“It’s incredibly gratifying to see a visionary like Jordan Peele, who represents a new generation of filmmakers, use our technology in pioneering ways and create an experience meant to be seen in IMAX. Our impressive share of NOPE’s debut demonstrates once again that as the best filmmakers in the world lean into our technology, fans are taking note and responding at the box office.”
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Other notable IMAX earnings include Disney’s MCU all-starThor: Love and Thunderhammering out another $950 thousand across 275 IMAX screenings, rounding out the global cume to $38 million, and Paramount’s highest grossing filmTop Gun: Mavericksoars past $98 million in IMAX globally, reaching new heights of $850 thousand in the past weekend over 148 international screens. Additionally, the South Korean sci-fi fantasyAlienoidopened to $350 thousand in only 18 IMAX showings, becoming the fourth-highest IMAX opening for a Korean film ever; and Super Lion’sDetectives vs. Sleuthsdrops $850 thousand in China, bolstering the total to $4.4 million. This coming week will see Alibaba Pictures’Moon Manacross China’s screenings and Lotte Entertainment’sHansan: The Emergence of Dragonslighting up IMAX in South Korea. Universal’sJurassic World Dominionwill be taking over its long-awaited opening in Japan this Friday.
Nopestars Oscar-winnersDaniel KaluuyaandSteven Yeun,Keke Palmer,Brandon Perea,Barbie Ferreira,Keith Davidand more. The film is in theaters and IMAX now. Check out the trailer below:
