Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Monday, July 20, 2026
Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Opens to $124.5M Domestic, $264.1M Globally — Best Weekend of 2026
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey debuted to a $124.5 million domestic opening, the year’s biggest live-action box office haul and Nolan’s career-best domestic debut. Universal’s mythological epic pulled $264.1 million globally — topping The Dark Knight Rises for Nolan’s best-ever worldwide opening. An estimated 7.5 million domestic tickets were sold, earning an A CinemaScore. Premium formats drove 58 percent of domestic gross, with IMAX alone accounting for 53 percent of domestic revenue. The blockbuster solidifies summer 2026 as theatrical’s strongest comeback season and reaffirms event-movie releases as the dominant box office playbook.
Most festivals run on a pile of tools that don't talk: a submission form here, a film database there, spreadsheets holding it all together. Filmchief was built to be the one place — entries, reviewing, programming, guests, schedules — your whole festival under one roof. See it at filmchief.com.
Universal’s Year-in-Advance IMAX Gamble on ‘The Odyssey’ Pays Off in a Historic Opening
Universal bet big on The Odyssey with a playbook Hollywood had never tried: putting IMAX tickets on sale a full year in advance. They sold out within hours. The studio paired the move with a $125 million global marketing spend, anchored by the Nolan brand — cited by 51 percent of ticket buyers as their primary motivation. IMAX screens captured 53 percent of domestic revenue, and premium formats overall hit 58 percent. The strategy validated an industry hypothesis: for a director with Nolan’s pull, scarcity marketing can drive premium-format dominance before a single trailer drops.
‘The Uprising’ Trailer: Andrew Garfield Leads Medieval Rebellion in Paul Greengrass’s Focus Features Epic
Focus Features dropped the trailer for The Uprising, a medieval historical drama starring Andrew Garfield as the leader of a peasant rebellion against King Richard II’s brutal taxation in the aftermath of the Black Plague. Director and writer Paul Greengrass — known for Captain Phillips and the Jason Bourne series — helms the project, which also stars Jamie Bell, Thomasin McKenzie, Tom Hollander, and Jonny Lee Miller. Jason Blum produces alongside Greengrass. The film is scheduled to open September 11, positioning Focus for an early awards-season push in a relatively uncrowded frame.
DGA, WGA and SAG-AFTRA Protest TV Academy’s Decision to Cut Five Emmy Categories from Telecast
The Television Academy announced it would cut five Emmy categories from the primetime telecast — including two acting, two writing, and one directing category — drawing swift backlash from Hollywood’s major guilds. DGA, WGA, and SAG-AFTRA issued a rare joint statement calling the decision a direct devaluation of contributions the Academy purports to honor. The guilds hold significant financial leverage: they collectively waive substantial residual fees that help fund the telecast itself. Observers say the protest could escalate to formal negotiations over telecast broadcast rights ahead of the summer ceremony.
Studios Wage Multi-Million-Dollar Bidding Wars for YouTube-Native Filmmakers After ‘Backrooms’ and ‘Obsession’ Hits
Hollywood is in a Gen Z talent land grab. Following A24’s Backrooms — a $374 million global gross from a $10 million film by 21-year-old Kane Parsons — Warner Bros., Universal, and A24 itself are competing for his next project. WB flew execs to the Bay Area; Universal chief Donna Langley met Parsons personally. Separately, Obsession director Curry Barker received a $10 million blind deal offer before signing an eight-figure deal with Universal-Blumhouse. WB also won a five-studio bidding war for the viral Siren Head IP. Studios calculate that landing a Gen Z creator early could generate hundreds of millions in long-term franchise value.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Paramount’s ‘Call of Duty’ Confirmed in Modern Warfare Universe, Opening June 30, 2028
Paramount and Activision confirmed their upcoming Call of Duty film adaptation will be set in the Modern Warfare universe. Director-producer Peter Berg announced the news at Fanatics Fest in New York, revealing that Taylor Sheridan — creator of Yellowstone and Landman — is co-writing the screenplay. The film is slated to open June 30, 2028, timed to coincide with the 25th anniversary of the franchise. Call of Duty has sold more than 500 million copies worldwide, making the live-action adaptation one of the most commercially high-stakes IP bets of the decade.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Anne Hathaway Reports ‘Story Breakthrough’ on ‘Princess Diaries 3’ After Script Was Scrapped
Anne Hathaway told SiriusXM’s Radio Andy that development on The Princess Diaries 3 had to “start over” with a new creative direction, but the team has since had a “story breakthrough” and is “moving in the right direction.” Adele Lim is set to direct the Disney feature, a continuation of the 2001 and 2004 films in which Hathaway plays Princess Mia Thermopolis of Genovia. Author Meg Cabot has read the current draft and called it “amazing.” Hathaway noted her third pregnancy has shaped the production timeline. No release date has been announced.
Sources: The Hollywood Reporter Share ↗ ✉︎ Email 💬 Text
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Odyssey | Jul 18 | $124.5M | $124.5M |
| 2 | Moana | Jul 11 | $19.0M | $82.0M |
| 3 | Minions & Monsters | Jul 4 | $14.8M | $137.5M |
| 4 | Toy Story 5 | Jun 20 | $14.8M | $430.9M |
| 5 | Evil Dead Burn | Jul 11 | $5.0M | $24.1M |
| 6 | The Invite | Jun 27 | $3.9M | $15.0M |
| 7 | Young Washington | Jul 4 | $3.7M | $41.0M |
| 8 | Obsession | May 15 | $2.5M | $258.5M |
| 9 | Supergirl | Jun 27 | $1.5M | $69.9M |
| 10 | Disclosure Day | Jun 13 | $1.5M | $114.7M |
| 11 | Backrooms | May 29 | $714K | $195.9M |
| 12 | Scary Movie | Jun 6 | $255K | $108.0M |
| 13 | Jackass: Best and Last | Jun 27 | $240K | $18.0M |
| 14 | Michael | Apr 24 | $150K | $372.2M |
| 15 | Gail Daughtry and the Celebrity Sex Pass | Jul 11 | $124K | $1.3M |
| 16 | Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu | May 22 | $120K | $177.5M |
| 17 | Maddie's Secret | Jun 20 | $81K | $1.0M |
| 18 | Mary Oliver: Saved by the Beauty … | Jul 4 | $49K | $170K |
| 19 | Leviticus | Jun 20 | $34K | $7.2M |
| 20 | The Devil Wears Prada 2 | May 1 | $32K | $220.5M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates July 17–19, 2026
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.