Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Tuesday, July 21, 2026
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Shatters Records with $124.5M Opening Weekend
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey opened to $124.5 million domestically from 3,919 theaters over the July 17–19 weekend, Universal Pictures’ biggest live-action opening ever for an R-rated film and the best live-action haul of 2026. Globally the epic earned $264.1 million, Nolan’s largest worldwide debut, surpassing 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises ($249M). The film—nearly three hours, R-rated, and outside any existing franchise—earned an “A” CinemaScore. Premium large-format screens accounted for 45% of domestic tickets, with 70mm accounting for 5%. Matt Damon leads a cast including Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Lupita Nyong’o.
Sources: Deadline Deadline (Jul 21) Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
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Marvel Drops Avengers: Doomsday Trailer, Robert Downey Jr. Debuts as Doctor Doom
Marvel Studios released the first full trailer for Avengers: Doomsday on Monday, revealing Robert Downey Jr.’s debut as MCU villain Doctor Doom alongside the Russo Brothers’ return to Marvel for the first time since Avengers: Endgame. The footage shows the Avengers, Fantastic Four, and X-Men converging against Doom’s threat for an unprecedented crossover. Marvel simultaneously launched ticket sales for premium “Infinity Vision” screenings, timing the reveal ahead of the studio’s Hall H panel at San Diego Comic-Con on July 25. The 39th entry in the MCU, the film opens December 18, 2026.
Federal Judge Issues 14-Day Hold on $110 Billion Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery Merger
A federal judge has placed a 14-day hold on the proposed $110 billion Paramount–Warner Bros. Discovery merger, dealing a significant blow to one of media history’s largest combinations. U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín granted the temporary restraining order Monday following a lawsuit from a coalition of 12 state attorneys general led by California AG Rob Bonta, who argue the deal would concentrate too much control over basic cable and theatrical film markets. A preliminary injunction hearing is set for August 3. If the merger does not close by September 30, Paramount Skydance begins owing Warner Bros. Discovery investors millions of dollars per day.
How Universal Marketed The Odyssey: No Influencers, a IMAX Exclusivity Window, and Engineered Scarcity
Universal Pictures broke from the contemporary Hollywood playbook for The Odyssey, scrapping all influencer screenings in favor of a critical rollout following the film’s London world premiere on July 6. The studio paired a three-week IMAX exclusivity window with a minimum five-weekend theatrical holdback, engineering genuine scarcity rather than manufactured hype. With an estimated $150 million in prints and advertising, Universal spotlighted the film’s distinction as the first major narrative feature shot entirely on IMAX 70mm cameras. The result: 45% of opening-weekend tickets sold in premium large format, with $81.4 million earned globally in IMAX alone.
TIFF 2026 Announces 64 Gala Titles: Rocky Biopic, Chris Rock’s Comeback Lead Fall Award Slate
The Toronto International Film Festival unveiled 64 titles across its Gala and Special Presentations for its 51st edition, anchored by two world premieres with clear awards trajectories. Peter Farrelly’s “I Play Rocky” from Amazon MGM Studios stars Anthony Ippolito as young Sylvester Stallone crafting the 1976 original, with a limited release set for November 6 and a wide expansion November 20. Chris Rock’s directorial comeback “Misty Green”—an A24 drama starring Adam Driver, Rosalind Eleazar, Daniel Kaluuya, and Anna Kendrick—marks Rock’s first feature behind the camera since 2014’s Top Five. TIFF runs September 10–20.
Wicked: For Good Arrives on Netflix, Completing Universal’s Four-Month Peacock Pipeline
Wicked: For Good arrived on Netflix on July 20, four months after its Peacock debut on March 20, moving through Universal Pictures’ “Pay-1” licensing deal that sends Universal’s live-action theatrical films to Netflix exactly four months after their Peacock premieres. The original Wicked, which generated $1.3 billion at the global box office, remains exclusive to Peacock, meaning fans need both subscriptions to follow the complete saga. The deal provides Netflix a high-profile title as the streamer deepens its relationship with Universal, whose next major theatrical release, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, arrives July 31.
Sources: Screen Rant Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
The Odyssey Posts $17.5M Monday, Best Single Day of 2026
The Odyssey followed its record-breaking opening weekend with an estimated $17.5 million on Monday July 20—the best single Monday of 2026 to date. The figure topped Toy Story 5’s $17.3 million Monday on June 22 and surpassed Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu’s Memorial Day Monday of $16.4 million. For Christopher Nolan, the result ranks third among his Monday tallies, behind The Dark Knight’s $24.4 million on July 21, 2008 and The Dark Knight Rises’ $19.3 million on July 23, 2012. The Monday performance signals sustained audience engagement well beyond opening-day ticket-buyers.
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Wks | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Odyssey | 1 | $123.5M | $123.5M |
| 2 | Moana | 2 | $17.9M | $81.0M |
| 3 | Toy Story 5 | 5 | $13.8M | $429.9M |
| 4 | Minions & Monsters | 3 | $13.6M | $136.4M |
| 5 | Evil Dead Burn | 2 | $4.7M | $23.9M |
| 6 | The Invite | 4 | $3.9M | $15.0M |
| 7 | Young Washington | 3 | $3.6M | $40.9M |
| 8 | Obsession | 10 | $2.4M | $258.4M |
| 9 | Supergirl | 4 | $1.5M | $69.9M |
| 10 | Disclosure Day | 6 | $1.3M | $114.6M |
| 11 | Backrooms | 8 | $715K | $196.0M |
| 12 | Scary Movie | 7 | $241K | $108.0M |
| 13 | Jackass: Best and Last | 4 | $231K | $18.0M |
| 14 | Michael | 13 | $143K | $372.2M |
| 15 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian & Grogu | 9 | $115K | $177.5M |
| 16 | Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass | 2 | $111K | $1.3M |
| 17 | Masters of the Universe | 7 | $104K | $64.7M |
| 18 | Maddie’s Secret | 5 | $81K | $1.0M |
| 19 | Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty… | 3 | $50K | $171K |
| 20 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | 12 | $36K | $220.5M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates Jul 17–19, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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