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Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has officially grossed $1 billion at the global box office (Rawteur), solidifying its status as the third film of the director's career to achieve that feat – followed by The Dark Knight and The Dark Knight Rises. Certain films result in extremely high box-office numbers due at least in part to the filmmaker's legacy. Nolan is a great example of one such filmmaker. With such an illustrious filmography throughout the years, Nolan has been a remarkable pioneer of visually intellectual storytelling; his films often market themselves by his name alone. With The Odyssey, however, there seems to be more than just Nolan's name that has led to its massive success.
On the Letterboxd social media app, The Odyssey includes an activity called "An Odyssey of Formats," which involves six different theater screen formats in which to see the film. This was enthusiastically encouraged by both Nolan and the cast, as shown in the following videos:
These videos were released before the film and Universal Pictures posted five more videos with different members of the large cast, each describing and praising a format that The Odyssey can be viewed in. Each format (IMAX 70MM, IMAX, 70MM, 35MM, Dolby Cinema, Premium Large Formats) has something unique to offer audiences, and the marketing campaign behind this film aimed to captivate filmgoers by emphasizing the beauty and versatility of the cinematic experience. Interacting with "An Odyssey of Formats" on Letterboxd is an enjoyable way of keeping track of your personal experience while possibly motivating others to do the same thing.
What about this tactic was so effective, and what can we learn from it?
Not only do these videos and Letterboxd's subtle invitation provide excitement to experience The Odyssey in a variety of ways, they demonstrate that the most essential key to successful marketing is audience engagement. It's visually clear when a cast and crew seem passionate about promoting their film after months of dedication, continuous teamwork, and fond memories, and so it is important to make an audience feel that passion through intriguing campaigns. After all, film is an art form that should be celebrated for its creativity and hard work, and what better way to reach audiences than through enthusiastic videos and collectible objects? The Odyssey is not alone in their approach.
Numerous films over the years have introduced uniquely designed popcorn buckets in an attempt to promote themselves even further. The sale of The Odyssey's Trojan horse and IMAX film camera popcorn buckets has generated more box-office revenue than expected, because physical merchandise has been a primary reason audiences have flocked to the theater. According to Nicole Sperling of The New York Times in her article Salty, Buttery, Astonishingly Lucrative: The $100 Million Market of Popcorn Buckets, popcorn bucket sales have been a primary marketing tool:
"Popcorn buckets — or, as they are more formally known, collectible concession vessels. These special-edition snack receptacles are designed for major movies and can sell for as much as $70. All the studios and theater chains want in on them, because for somewhat inexplicable reasons, they have become astonishingly lucrative. AMC Theatres estimates that this year, buckets will generate $100 million in revenue, nearly double the level of 2023. Cinemark Theatres, the country’s third-largest chain, says bucket sales helped its merchandise revenue increase 40 percent from 2024 to 2025."
So it is incredibly clear that people strongly value collectibles, since it also makes them feel like they have a personal connection with a film prior to and during its theatrical release. In this same article, Snap Creative's chief executive Bill Howard mentions Gen Z's contributions to this marketing success:
"They are really into buckets. They’re looking for experiences that are of the moment, are memeable and are exciting, limited-drop events."
Yet people of all ages seem to have a keen interest in this physical collectible marketing phenomenon, and The Odyssey has continued this streak with flying colors. But as of now, this is the only film on Letterboxd to have a screen format log that users can interact with. I truly feel that more films should do this; it is a fantastic way of encouraging audiences to have fun logging films while also being an effective promotional technique on its own. Watching a film in multiple formats is a memorable experience, especially if you are a huge cinephile.
Audience engagement is crucial for a film, and this type of marketing has served as the foundation for its overall triumph at the box office.
