The Highest-Grossing Theater for ‘The Odyssey’ in 70MM Hadn’t Screened a New Movie in 35 Years
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.
In short
- Glendale's Alex Theatre tops US 70mm box office for "The Odyssey"
- Venue's last first-run film was in 1991, before recent $500,000 upgrade
- "The Odyssey" run extended; theatre plans further large-format screenings
Explained simply
70mm is a film format that uses a wider strip of film than the standard 35mm format, allowing for a large, detailed image on screen. It is often used for films designed to make a theatrical experience feel especially immersive.
The Alex Theatre is a historic, 900-seat cinema in Glendale, California. Its last first-run film was Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991, and it later operated without regularly showing new releases.
Christopher Nolan is a film director whose work has included large-format productions. The Alex’s investment in projection equipment and the audience for its screenings illustrate how some cinemas are bringing specialist film presentations back to historic venues.
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