Story perspectives

Nolan's IMAX 70mm “Odyssey” Tickets Sold Out, Eyeing Oppenheimer Record

4/30/2026

Summary

Nolan Announces Odyssey

Christopher Nolan announced that his new film The Odyssey will run under three hours, shorter than Oppenheimer.
The movie will be shot entirely on IMAX 70 mm film.
Filming begins on July 17, 2026, with the worldwide release set for Friday, July 17, 2026.
Early IMAX 70 mm tickets sold out within hours after a July 2025 pre-sale, suggesting the film may surpass Oppenheimer’s $953.8 million box-office.

Summary

Nolan Shoots IMAX

The Odyssey becomes the first Hollywood feature filmed entirely with IMAX cameras, using a custom “blimp” housing that cuts camera noise.
Nolan’s crew spent four months filming on real ocean waves, positioning the cast on an actual ship to convey Odysseus’s voyage.
Because over 2 million feet of film were shot in the 91-day production, the three-hour IMAX projector limit forced the final cut to be shorter than Nolan’s earlier epic.

Summary

Nolan Premieres Odyssey

The Odyssey will be screened on the new IMAX system at Yas Mall in the UAE, using a 23.2-metre screen and laser projection.
Major UAE cinema chains VOX, Reel and Novo plan to launch the film on its global release date of July 17, 2026.
Trailers released for the movie depict mythic set pieces such as the Trojan Horse, a battle with the Cyclops, and scenes of the dead rising.

History

Historical Context

When Expo ’70 in Osaka unveiled the IMAX system with the 70 mm documentary Tiger Child in 1970, the format promised unprecedented visual immersion. IMAX Corporation, backed by Kodak and the Japanese Ministry of International Trade, reported a 150 percent increase in theater installations within two years, reaching 30 venues by 1972. Nolan’s 2026 Odyssey, the first Hollywood narrative shot entirely with custom IMAX 70 mm cameras, mirrors that pioneering ambition by scaling the format to a three-hour blockbuster. The precedent suggests that, as with the 1970 debut, the film could catalyze a new wave of large-format productions, reshaping global distribution and box-office expectations.

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Nolan Announces Odyssey

Christopher Nolan announced that his new film The Odyssey will run under three hours, shorter than Oppenheimer.
The movie will be shot entirely on IMAX 70 mm film.
Filming begins on July 17, 2026, with the worldwide release set for Friday, July 17, 2026.
Early IMAX 70 mm tickets sold out within hours after a July 2025 pre-sale, suggesting the film may surpass Oppenheimer’s $953.8 million box-office.

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