Full Breakdown
IMAX 70mm “The Odyssey” Triggers Ticket-Scalping Frenzy and Technical Hurdles
7/21/2026, 9:11:16 PM
Core Event: Scarcity of 70mm IMDB tickets fuels resale market and complaints
Since its July 17 release, Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has sold out every 70mm IMAX showing at the few venues that can accommodate the format. In New York City, the AMC Lincoln Square 13 theater—one of only 41 IMAX 70mm screens worldwide—has been left with wheelchair seats as the only available tickets. Reddit users on r/NYCmovies have posted pleas for spare tickets, while scalpers list the $33 face-value tickets on eBay for $69 up to $1,200 for a pair on July 22. Theater staff warn patrons to verify ticket provenance and use PayPal’s Goods & Services protection for online trades.
Background & Context: Limited global capacity for true 70mm IMAX
Only 41 theaters worldwide can project 70mm IMAX film, 25 of them in the United States. New York’s two venues are AMC Lincoln Square 13 and Cinemark Tinseltown Rochester; Colorado hosts Cinemark Carefree Circle in Colorado Springs and Regal UA Colorado Center in Denver; Georgia’s sole screen is at the Regal Mall of Georgia in Buford. The rarity makes each screening a high-value commodity for cinephiles.
Data & Statistics
- Face-value ticket price: $33; resale bids range from $69 to $1,200 (July 22).
- Lincoln Square showtimes run through August 12; Rochester’s contract runs until August 15.
- Opening-weekend box office: $264 million worldwide, $123.5 million in the U.S. and Canada.
- IMAX 70mm screenings generated $6.3 million in Colorado (July 17-19), averaging $153 000 per screen and accounting for 20 % of the film’s $52 million domestic opening haul.
- In Boston, Coolidge Corner Theater sold roughly 100 tickets for a Monday matinee, while Alamo Drafthouse reported 990 tickets sold on a Saturday.
Official Statements & Responses
- An AMC spokesperson declined to comment on additional 70mm showtimes.
- Reddit moderator Tessa, who enforces the subreddit’s “No Scalping” rule, said the community bans accounts that sell above face value, but scalpers often create new accounts, so users are urged to check post history and request proof of tickets.
- Brooks LeBoeuf, senior vice president of U.S. content at Regal, confirmed that the theater’s 70mm screenings sold out within 24 hours, prompting extra showtimes from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. and a four-week contract through August 15.
On-the-Ground Reports: Projection challenges and audience experience
At Denver’s Regal UA Colorado Center, patrons reported a projector failure that forced a switch to Digital IMAX, with a brief blackout ten minutes into the film. RMPBS reported that the chain refurbished older 70mm projectors to meet demand, highlighting an industry push to preserve analog technology.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
RMPBS states that refurbished projectors are operating successfully, while Denver7 documents a broken 70mm projector at the same venue and a lack of response from Regal regarding repairs. No definitive update on the Denver projector’s status has been provided, leaving the reliability of 70mm screenings in that market uncertain.
What’s Next: Upcoming availability
New York’s sold-out 70mm showings continue through August 12, and Rochester’s contract extends to August 15. No additional dates have been announced by AMC or Cinemark, and theater officials have not confirmed whether extra screenings will be added to meet ongoing demand.
