Spider-Man: Brand New Day is expanding into IMAX theaters across North America this week following its enormous opening at the global box office.
IMAX announced Monday that the Marvel and Sony blockbuster will begin playing in select locations on Thursday, August 6. The expansion gives Spider-Man access to digital IMAX screens previously occupied by Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey.
Matt Damon as Odysseus in the trailer for The Odyssey – YouTube @UniversalPictures
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However, Nolan’s epic will retain all 41 IMAX 70mm film locations worldwide. Those theaters will continue presenting The Odyssey as part of its previously announced extended engagement.
The distinction means that Spider-Man is not replacing The Odyssey at IMAX’s most prestigious venues. Instead, the two films will share the company’s larger network of digital auditoriums.
Spider-Man Overcomes Its IMAX Disadvantage
Spider-Man: Brand New Day opened in North America without an IMAX release. Nolan’s close relationship with the company, combined with The Odyssey being filmed entirely with IMAX cameras, gave the director’s historical epic control of the premium format. IMAX tickets for The Odyssey sold out a year in advance, and 70mm screenings continue to be at or near capacity weeks after the film’s debut.
Sony reportedly moved Spider-Man: Brand New Day back one week to create greater separation between the two films. Nevertheless, The Odyssey continued occupying IMAX screens when the superhero movie arrived in theaters.
Tom Holland as Spider-Man and Mark Ruffalo as the Hulk in Spider-Man: Brand New Day – Sony, Marvel Studios
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That apparent disadvantage did little to slow Spider-Man. The movie earned an estimated $927 million worldwide during its opening weekend—the biggest debut of 2026 so far. Significantly, it achieved that total while relying on standard auditoriums—with lower ticket prices than IMAX—and competing premium formats across North America.
The film did receive an IMAX release in several international markets. IMAX reported that Brand New Day earned $23 million from its screens in China, Japan, and South Korea.
That performance appears to have encouraged the company to reconsider its North American exhibition plans. Before Monday’s announcement, no domestic IMAX rollout had been revealed for the film.
The Odyssey Keeps Its IMAX 70mm Screens
Although Spider-Man is taking some screens from The Odyssey, Nolan’s movie will maintain its exclusive hold on IMAX 70mm locations. The company previously extended the film’s engagement at those 41 theaters into September.
IMAX 70mm uses physical film prints rather than digital projection. The format offers greater image detail and has become an important part of Nolan’s theatrical presentations. Its limited availability also makes those screenings particularly attractive to film enthusiasts. Most IMAX theaters use digital projection. Those locations still offer larger screens and enhanced sound, but they do not provide the same film-based presentation available at the 70mm venues.
An image from Spider-Man Brand New Day – Sony
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The new arrangement allows IMAX to capitalize on demand for both releases. The Odyssey retains the premium format for which it was designed, while Brand New Day gains access to more high-priced screens after proving that it could attract a massive audience without them.
Sony will also receive what amounts to a second premium-format launch for its blockbuster, potentially bringing fans back for another viewing. After conquering the box office without North American IMAX screens, Spider-Man: Brand New Day has become too lucrative for IMAX to keep out of its digital theaters.
Will you be seeing Spider-Man: Brand New Day on IMAX? Sound off and let us know!
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