L’Odyssée, a feature film presented in the IMAX 70 mm format, has risen to the top of the global box‑office rankings, according to data released on Monday, July 20, 2026. The film’s surge to the position of highest‑grossing movie worldwide follows a wave of audience interest in the high‑resolution format, which promises a level of visual fidelity not found in standard cinema presentations.
The IMAX 70 mm system, originally engineered in Montreal, Quebec, was created to deliver larger, sharper images on the expansive IMAX screen. Its development in the city has long been a point of pride for local engineers and filmmakers, and the format’s reputation for superior picture quality continues to attract cinema‑goers seeking an immersive experience.
L’Odyssée marks the first fictional feature to be shot entirely using the IMAX 70 mm process. Prior to this release, the format had been employed primarily for documentary and special‑event productions. By committing the entire narrative to the 70 mm frame, the filmmakers have showcased the capabilities of the technology in a conventional storytelling context, providing audiences with a new benchmark for cinematic presentation.
The film’s commercial success underscores a growing enthusiasm for premium‑format screenings, particularly in markets where the IMAX experience is readily available. For Montreal, the achievement reinforces the city’s historical role in the evolution of large‑format cinema and may encourage further investment in projects that leverage the IMAX 70 mm technology. Industry observers note that the combination of a compelling story and the format’s visual advantages appears to have resonated strongly with worldwide audiences, driving the unprecedented box‑office performance.
The record set by L’Odyssée could signal a renewed focus on high‑resolution filmmaking, with the Montreal‑originated IMAX 70 mm format positioned at the forefront of this shift.