Samwise Film & TV Marketing Newsletter
Sunday, July 26, 2026
The Odyssey Posts $84.5M Second Weekend, Surpassing The Dark Knight
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey held the top spot at the North American box office for the second consecutive weekend, posting an estimated $84.5 million — a second-frame result that surpassed The Dark Knight’s second-weekend performance. Universal’s epic cleared $200 million domestically by Friday. Among new wide openers, Hadestown: The Musical launched to $8 million on 1,948 screens in a five-night theatrical run, while the thriller Motor City debuted to $1.5 million. Limited-release drama Her Private Hell opened to $625,000. The Odyssey enters its third week with no comparable competition until Spider-Man: Brand New Day opens July 31.
Sources: Deadline
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Spotify Audiobook Searches Spike 310% as The Odyssey Drives Cultural Crossover
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has become what France 24 described Sunday as Nolan’s “latest cultural phenomenon.” The headline data point: Spotify reports that audiobook searches for Homer’s original epic have surged 310 percent since the film’s July 18 theatrical opening. The cross-platform spillover — from multiplex to streaming audiobook service — signals the film is driving engagement with its source material beyond conventional box office metrics. For marketers, Universal’s campaign around the film is emerging as a reference point for how classical IP can extend a blockbuster’s cultural footprint well beyond its theatrical window.
Sources: France 24
Marvel Turns SDCC Hall H Into a Marketing Activation, Reveals Ghost Rider and Black Panther 3
Marvel Studios used its San Diego Comic-Con Hall H slot on Saturday as a full-scale marketing activation. Kevin Feige opened with Avengers: Doomsday (December 18, 2026), unveiling room-only footage alongside a stunt that placed a Doctor Doom mask and cloak on every seat — thousands of attendees pulled them on at Robert Downey Jr.’s cue. The studio confirmed Ryan Gosling will star as Ghost Rider in a Shawn Levy–directed film targeting 2028, Jon Bernthal previewed footage from the July 31 release Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and Ryan Coogler was revealed as director of Black Panther 3 with David Jonsson as the new Black Panther.
Sources: Hollywood Outbreak
Hadestown Uses Theatrical Film Release as Live-Show Marketing Tool on 1,948 Screens
Bleecker Street’s Crosswalk division launched a limited five-night theatrical run of Hadestown: The Musical on July 24, placing the live Broadway capture on 1,948 screens across North America. The move is explicitly framed as a marketing instrument for the stage production: closing credits direct audiences to purchase tickets for the Broadway show, which has run continuously for seven years. Original principal cast members Reeve Carney, Eva Noblezada, André De Shields, Amber Gray, and Patrick Page appear in the film. Exhibitors have already added screenings due to audience demand, extending the original five-night window in a live-show amplification strategy.
Sources: Deadline
Prime Video Debuts Blade Runner 2099 Teaser and Rings of Power Season 3 Footage at SDCC
Prime Video used Friday’s San Diego Comic-Con Hall H panel to debut the first teaser for Blade Runner 2099, its ten-episode continuation of the franchise set fifty years after the events of Blade Runner 2049. Michelle Yeoh stars as Olwen, a dying Replicant, alongside Hunter Schafer as Cora, a human fugitive who becomes a Blade Runner. Showrunner Silka Luisa described the series as imagining “what it means to be human in a world where humanity is no longer relevant.” The streamer also unveiled a teaser for The Rings of Power Season 3 showing Sauron forging the One Ring. Blade Runner 2099 premieres November 25, 2026.
Sources: Business Story
Box Office — Currently in Theatres
| # | Title | Release Date | Weekend | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Odyssey | Jul 18 | $87.0M | $274M |
| 2 | Moana (2026) | Jul 5 | $9.8M | $91M |
| 3 | Toy Story 5 | Jun 14 | $9.6M | $440M |
| 4 | Minions & Monsters | Jun 28 | $9.0M | $145M |
| 5 | Hadestown: The Musical | Jul 24 | $8.0M | $8.0M |
| 6 | The Invite | Jun 21 | $2.3M | $17.3M |
| 7 | Evil Dead Burn | Jul 5 | $2.1M | $26M |
| 8 | Young Washington | Jun 28 | $1.9M | $43M |
| 9 | Motor City | Jul 25 | $1.5M | $1.5M |
| 10 | Obsession | May 10 | $1.4M | $260M |
| 11 | Supergirl | Jun 21 | $700K | $71M |
| 12 | Disclosure Day | Jun 14 | $700K | $115M |
| 13 | Her Private Hell | Jul 25 | $625K | $625K |
| 14 | Backrooms | May 24 | $390K | $196M |
| 15 | Scary Movie (2026) | Jun 7 | $144K | $108M |
| 16 | Jackass: Best and Last | Jun 21 | $143K | $18M |
| 17 | Michael | Apr 26 | $85K | $372M |
| 18 | Star Wars: Mando & Grogu | May 17 | $66K | $178M |
| 19 | Masters of the Universe | Jun 7 | $62K | $65M |
| 20 | Maddie’s Secret | Jun 14 | $48K | $1.0M |
Source: Box Office Mojo · Weekend estimates
Curated by JD · samwise.agency