Odeon hails best summer for cinema since before Covid thanks to The Odyssey and Spider-Man

Odeon has celebrated its biggest summer for cinema attendance since before the Covid pandemic thanks to hits such as The Odyssey and the latest Spider-Man.

Britain’s largest cinema chain said it has seen almost 10million guests this summer, an increase of a third on last year and the best summer intake since 2019.

Blockbusters to reel in film fans include The Odyssey, Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s epic, starring Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, as well as Spider-Man: Brand New Day, featuring Tom Holland and Zendaya.

These titles both attracted more than 1.3million guests, as did the science-fiction thriller Disclosure Day, which stars Emily Blunt and Josh O’Connor.

Odeon also said it saw a record proportion of visits to larger screens. The Odyssey is the first feature film to be shot using film cameras suited for Imax or 70mm screens.

Suzie Welch, Odeon’s managing director for the UK and Ireland, said: ‘This summer has demonstrated once again cinema’s enduring appeal. Despite a packed summer of sport and numerous heatwaves, almost 10 million film fans came through our doors to enjoy an incredible variety of amazing films.

‘We are excited to carry this momentum into the autumn and look forward to welcoming film fans back for even more unforgettable big-screen moments, including Avengers: Doomsday, Dune: Part Three, Forgotten Island and Focker-in-Law.’

The British Film Institute (BFI) said that takings at the UK box office in 2024 were still 21pc below 2019 levels, in a report released earlier this year.