Christopher Nolan’s ‘The Odyssey’ Sells Out in Imax 70MM a Year Ahead of Film’s Release

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Well, that didn’t take long.

A whole year prior to the premiere of Christopher Nolan’s grand production, The Odyssey, I was fortunate enough to secure tickets for the Universal event picture film screening in IMAX 70mm format at approximately 25-26 locations over the weekend of July 17-19, with Thursday afternoon screenings on July 16 added as a bonus. As a diehard fan of Nolan’s work, I was thrilled to learn that his interpretation of the classic Greek myth, featuring Matt Damon as the timeless hero Odysseus, is being filmed entirely using IMAX cameras – an unprecedented feat for a commercial feature film.

At midnight Eastern Time on Thursday, Imax publicly revealed a remarkable deal on their social media platforms. Within just one hour, 95% of the tickets were promptly purchased, as per reports from exhibition authorities. This equated to approximately $1.5 million in revenue generated, despite a limited number of seats available. As the evening progressed, there were whispers of tickets being resold online for sums ranging from $300 to $400, contrasting the typical retail price of $25-$28, according to one source. These tickets were then spotted being resold on platforms such as eBay.

For the very first time ever, tickets are being made available a full year prior to the premiere of a movie. This upcoming film serves as a sequel to Christopher Nolan’s Academy Award-winning masterpiece, “Oppenheimer,” which raked in massive profits at IMAX theaters.

Approximately 16 IMAX theaters in the U.S. are currently included in the lineup. The upcoming weekend (July 17-19) and preview screenings at AMC Lincoln Square 13 in New York City, Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood, and Regal Irvine Spectrum in Orange County have already been fully booked. In California, there are only a few seats left for the IMAX screenings in San Francisco, Dublin, and Ontario.

In various parts of the nation, there are also popular IMAX theaters that can be found in Fort Lauderdale, Florida; Buford, Georgia; Indianapolis, Indiana; Grand Rapids, Michigan; King of Prussia, Pennsylvania; as well as Dallas, Texas.

Prominent cinemas located in Canada, home to Imax, swiftly ran out of tickets, with the Cineplex Cinemas Mississauga Square and the Cineplex Cinemas Vaughan, two theaters in Toronto, being among those sold-out.

Worldwide, popular venues such as London’s BFI Imax and the Imax auditorium at the Science Museum are fully booked, with similar trends seen at the Imax theaters in Melbourne, Australia, and a location in the Czech Republic. Seats at these locations are rapidly disappearing.

In the case of “Oppenheimer”, Imax theaters contributed over $190 million to its worldwide gross of $975.8 million, which equates to approximately 20%. On the other hand, “The Odyssey” carries a net budget of $250 million, making it Nolan’s most expensive film to date. The unexpected blockbuster success of the biopic about atomic energy, “Oppenheimer”, underscores once more why Nolan is one of the select directors capable of consistently delivering an event film that appeals to all audiences. With its grand scale and star-studded cast, “The Odyssey” should attract a large following.

Besides Damon, the movie features Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway (twice mentioned), Jon Bernthal, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Mia Goth as its main cast members.

In this timeless tale, we follow the king of Ithaca on his lengthy and hazardous voyage back to his wife Penelope after the Trojan War. Along the way, he faces numerous obstacles, such as interacting with a series of legendary creatures like the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, the sorceress Circe, and even venturing to the Underworld itself.

The main character in this old story is the king from Ithaca who goes on a tough journey back home to his wife Penelope after the Trojan War. During his trip, he faces many troubles, such as meeting mythical creatures like Cyclops Polyphemus, Sirens, Circe, and even visiting the Underworld.

The initial preview trailer for Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film was premiered exclusively in cinemas before the release of Universal’s “Jurassic World: Dominion,” which launched during the Independence Day holiday weekend to massive audiences and remains a top attraction.

It’s a bit unexpected to reveal the trailer ahead of time given that The Odyssey is still in production, but with a blockbuster like Rebirth, Universal and Nolan’s team found an opportunity they couldn’t resist, despite the teaser being leaked online. Even advance ticket sales information was prematurely leaked when some theater chains announced early that tickets for the select 70mm screenings on July 17 would be available for purchase.

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2025-07-18 03:54