The Alex Theatre in Glendale, California, has emerged as the highest-grossing US venue for 70mm showings of Christopher Nolan's "The Odyssey", despite not having screened a first-run film in 35 years. The century-old, 900-seat cinema installed a new 70mm presentation system just weeks before the film's 17 July premiere, and its success underlines continued audience appetite for large-format theatrical experiences at historic venues.

The theatre's last first-run release was "Terminator 2: Judgment Day" in 1991, and it invested $500,000 in technical upgrades, including a new ground-floor projection booth overseen by projectionist Taylor Umphenour. It has been showing "The Odyssey" three times daily and will extend the run by at least two weeks, while "The Odyssey" itself has taken $395.5 million domestically, having recently been overtaken at the box office by "Spider-Man: Brand New Day". The Alex now plans regular large-format screenings, including "Dune: Part Three" in December and "Narnia: The Magician's Nephew" in February 2027.