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Nolan’s The Odyssey Strains Scarce IMAX 70mm Infrastructure

A tiny set of theaters able to project true IMAX 70mm has caused sellouts, premium pricing, added showtimes, extended runs,

Overview

  • Only a few dozen venues worldwide and about 25 in the U.S. can show The Odyssey in true IMAX 70mm, making those screenings rare and quickly sold out.
  • Nolan shot the film entirely on IMAX-capable cameras using a smaller Keighley camera and a noise-reducing blimp so the format could capture action and dialogue together.
  • Exhibitors and distributors have responded by adding very early and late showtimes, charging premium prices for 70mm seats, and extending the 70mm run to accommodate demand.
  • If viewers cannot get 70mm IMAX seats they can still see the film in other premium formats such as standard IMAX, non-IMAX 70mm prints, Dolby Cinema, or large regional screens.
  • Critics and columnists disagree on necessity: technical advocates say 70mm IMAX delivers notably larger, taller frames and sharper detail, while some critics call the format a marketed luxury that creates FOMO for most moviegoers.