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Although a 3-hour period-drama that revolves around people talking behind closed doors doesn’t fit the definition of a traditional summer blockbuster, thanks to Christopher Nolan, this was the case forOppenheimer. While several big-budget releases struggled at the box office this year, especially CBMs, 2023 was still a great year for cinema as it witnessed director-driven films ruling the box office.
Moreover, it was also a huge year for Imax, thanks to Christopher Nolan’sOppenheimer, one of the biggest box-office successes of the summer, which helped the company boast huge numbers.
Also read:“I kept on hearing that”: Christopher Nolan Used The Avengers to Convince Wife for Keeping His Oppenheimer Idea Alive After Initial Disagreement
Christopher Nolan’sOppenheimerHelped Imax Boast a Record Year
Despite facing stiff competition upon its release and being rated R,Oppenheimerstill rocked the box office, pulling in a remarkable $954 million, becoming the highest-grossing biopic of all time. And of its $954M, a huge chunk of it arrived from its Imax screenings with a total of $183.2 million, subsequently becoming the highest earner for the company this year. As a result, 2023 witnessed Imax boasting over $1.06B, marking the company’s second-largest year after 2019, which witnessed the release ofAvengers: Endgame, which pushed its collection to $1.1B.
However, 2023 surpassed 2019 in terms of the highest domestic box-office collection, which witnessed Imax hitting $393.2 million in North America. Other notable contributors to Imax’s overall earnings included Taylor Swift’s concert filmThe Eras TourandThe Super Mario Bros. Movie. On the huge achievement, Imax CEO Rich Gelfond said (variety),
“From ‘Oppenheimer’ to Taylor Swift to releases from across China, India, and Japan, Imax delivered more awe-inspiring experiences from more creative partners in 2023, resulting in one of our best years ever,”
But it isn’t only Imax that has benefited from the Golden Globe winner, asChristopher Nolan‘s move to revive physical media amidst streaming anxiety sparked hope for the medium.
Also read:Oppenheimer Beats Barbie: Cillian Murphy, Robert Downey Jr., Christopher Nolan’s Victory March To Oscars after Golden Globes Decimation
Christopher Nolan Took Stance for Physical Media
Following Netflix’s rise, other major studios in Hollywood started prioritizing streaming, which seemingly killed off physical media. However, it appears the reports of the death of physical media were greatly exaggerated, as not long after its physical release,Oppenheimer4K Blu-rays sold out on Best Buy and Amazon. Apart from financial success, this also marked new hope for physical releases, as opposed to streaming services, in which movies could disappear, a physical copy will remain intact forever. Nolan toldThe Washington Post:
“There is a danger these days that if things only exist in the streaming version, they do get taken down. They come and go – as do broadcast versions of films, so my films will play on HBO or whatever, they’ll come and go. But the home video version is the thing that can always be there, so people can always access it.”
Also read:“I promise you, it’ll be insult-free”: Christopher Nolan Gets an Invite from Peloton Instructor Who Ripped Tenet to Shreds in Genius Apology Letter
Alongside Nolan, other major filmmakers, including James Cameron, also chimed in support of physical media, which not only gives us the luxury of owning a film forever but also preserves cinema.
Santanu Roy
Senior Writer
Articles Published :2539
Santanu Roy is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, majorly focusing on movies, with over 2,000 articles under his belt. He has been pursuing a degree in Animation and possesses a deep love for the medium of animation. Having spent the better part of the last two years pumping out articles for FW, Santanu excels at covering movie analysis and news surrounding Pixar, DCU, DreamWorks, and Batman’s cinematic legacy.With psychological thrillers and intimate slice-of-life dramas ranking among his favorite genres, Santanu is a big admirer of Luca Guadagnino, Shane Black, Park Chan-wook, and Brad Bird.
