‘Dune: Part Three’ beats Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ in first day ticket sales

Denis Villeneuve’s sci-fi sequel generated £880,000 in advance ticket sales at the London venue

Dune: Part Three has broken the first day advance ticket sales record at London’s BFI IMAX, surpassing Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey after selling 33,000 tickets in just 24 hours.

The highly anticipated science fiction sequel generated £880,000 in presales, equivalent to approximately $1.2m, at the United Kingdom’s largest cinema screen. The previous record was held by The Odyssey, which earned £750,000, or around $1m, in advance bookings.

The figures place Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming film ahead of several major releases at the venue. Dune: Part Two, released in 2024, recorded £366,000 in presales, while Oppenheimer reached £254,000. Avatar: Fire and Ash followed with £116,000, according to the reported figures.

The latest record comes after strong demand for earlier screenings of Dune: Part Three. Three opening weekend screenings sold out in less than an hour last April, while two additional previews also sold out earlier this month.

The British Film Institute is preparing to present Villeneuve’s latest instalment on an IMAX 70mm print, reflecting its commitment to preserving and showcasing film projection formats.

The film is expected to conclude Villeneuve’s current Dune saga. Set nearly two decades after the previous instalment, the story follows Paul Atreides, played by Timothée Chalamet, as he faces the consequences of his rule. Zendaya returns as Chani, alongside a cast that includes Robert Pattinson, Florence Pugh, Jason Momoa, Anya Taylor-Joy, Javier Bardem and Josh Brolin.

Dune: Part Three is scheduled to arrive in cinemas, including the BFI IMAX, on December 18.

The venue also achieved a major milestone with The Odyssey, recording its best ever opening weekend at the box office earlier this year. Its performance placed the single screen among the leading IMAX venues in the United Kingdom and international markets during the film’s opening weekend in July.

With its presale record already established, Dune: Part Three is heading towards its release amid considerable audience anticipation.