IMAX screenings for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey have already sold out, a year in advance of the film being released.
This week, 26 IMAX locations across the world opened presales for screenings in IMAX 70mm, the director’s preferred format. In an unprecedented move, the announcement came a year to the day of the movie’s July 16, 2026 release. The adaptation of Homer’s epic poem is still filming.
Now, The Guardian reports that all US screenings sold out within an hour, with both UK locations – London’s Science Museum and the BFI IMAX – also selling out quickly. The article reports that scalpers were advertising tickets online for $300-$400 (£223-£297).
The project is an adaptation of the ancient Greek epic poem by Homer, and features an all-star cast including Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. It is the first film to be shot entirely with IMAX large format cameras.
Nolan has established himself as one of the few directors in Hollywood whose name itself is a box office draw, thanks to hits such as The Dark Knight Trilogy and Inception. The Odyssey comes highly anticipated after the success of Oppenheimer, a biopic of the inventor of the atomic bomb, which made over $975Million (£725Million) at the worldwide box office. At the 2024 Oscars, the film won seven awards including Best Picture, Best Director for Nolan.
The filmmaker is a staunch defender of the cinema experience, ensuring his films prioritise theatrical release. At the beginning of July, a trailer for The Odyssey appeared in cinemas, but not online, so as to encourage fans to go to the cinema to see it. The preview featured Holland’s character, Telemachus, asking about the whereabouts of his father Odysseus (Matt Damon).
In May, stunt performer James Newman expressed his excitement in being involved on the project. “They’re never going to make a movie like this again,” he said. “I think it’s going to be an epic of all epics. It’s going to be Nolan at his best. No holds barred”.
English (US) · 