Nolan’s The Odyssey fuels debate over scarce 70mm IMAX screens
The film’s IMAX presentation is drawing attention to how few theaters can show Christopher Nolan’s epic in its intended large-format version.
By Hana Yoshida · Markets Reporter
3 min read
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is putting new pressure on the gap between large-format filmmaking and the theaters able to show it. The Verge’s Charles Pulliam-Moore reported that the film’s IMAX presentation changes how some of its largest creature sequences read on screen, while other outlets have noted that few audiences can see the movie in its most complete format.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, The Odyssey is the first feature film shot entirely with 70mm IMAX cameras. The Verge said that technical choice is especially visible in scenes built around scale, including encounters with Polyphemus the Cyclops and the sea monster Scylla.
Pulliam-Moore wrote that a 35mm screening, projected in a 2.39:1 widescreen aspect ratio, still delivered many of the film’s key images clearly. The Verge said shots of Odysseus, played by Matt Damon, at sea and scenes inside the Trojan horse worked in that format, even with visible cropping.
The difference, according to The Verge, became more apparent in the film’s monster scenes. In the outlet’s account, the taller IMAX image made Bill Irwin’s performance as Polyphemus easier to read, including physical details such as the Cyclops bending inside his cave.
The Verge also said the larger image gave the chase sequence involving Polyphemus more force by showing more of the creature’s body as it moved through the environment. In the Scylla sequence, Pulliam-Moore wrote that the extra screen space made the monster’s position above the soldiers easier to understand before she attacks.
The format issue extends beyond one critic’s screening experience. The Verge cited the difference between standard IMAX’s 1.90:1 aspect ratio and 70mm IMAX’s 1.43:1 presentation, noting that Nolan’s preferred version requires screens and projection setups many theaters do not have.
The Guardian reported that only about 40 theaters worldwide, including 25 in the United States, can show 70mm IMAX films. Because of that limited supply, The Verge said most moviegoers are unlikely to see The Odyssey in the version closest to Nolan’s intended presentation.
Variety reported that the shortage is tied to IMAX’s projector supply and theater infrastructure. IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond told Variety that the company has focused largely on retrofitting older projectors, while many exhibitors have been unwilling to pay the construction costs needed for 1.43:1 screens.
The scarcity has become part of the film’s rollout. The Verge cited criticism that the release encourages format purism and makes the best version of the film harder or more expensive to access, while also noting an argument that Nolan may be demonstrating demand for more 70mm-capable venues.
Variety has reported strong box office interest in The Odyssey, and The New York Times reported that some viewers have traveled long distances to attend 70mm IMAX screenings. The Verge said Nolan’s reputation is a major reason that rare-format screenings have become a draw for this release.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.