‘The Odyssey’ Extends Run At Alex Theatre After Becoming Highest-Grossing 70MM Exhibitor Who Had Not Screened A New Movie In 35 Years
Christopher Nolan's epic film The Odyssey has extended its 70mm run at Los Angeles' historic Alex Theatre through 20 August 2026, after the venue became the highest-grossing exhibitor screening the film in that format. The extension is notable because the Alex Theatre had not shown a first-run new film since Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991, meaning the special engagement marks its first new release in 35 years, underlining continued audience appetite for large-format cinema experiences.
The theatre recently installed 70mm film projectors as part of a systems upgrade, beginning its special screenings of The Odyssey on 17 July 2026 following strong demand. Artistic Director Miles Williams thanked both audiences and Universal Pictures for the partnership, calling it a reminder of the value of communal cinema-going. The film, shot entirely in Imax 70mm, has drawn crowds to large-screen venues and is nearing $1 billion at the global box office, standing at $911 million after three weekends.
In short
- Alex Theatre extends The Odyssey's 70mm run to 20 August 2026
- Theatre's first new film since Terminator 2 in 1991
- Nolan's Odyssey nears $1bn globally after three weekends
Explained simply
The Alex Theatre is a historic cinema in Los Angeles. It had not shown a newly released film since Terminator 2: Judgment Day in 1991, and recently installed projectors for 70mm film, a large-format version that can create a detailed image on a cinema screen.
The Odyssey is a film directed by Christopher Nolan and distributed by Universal Pictures. Nolan made it for Imax 70mm, a format associated with very large screens, and its success has drawn attention to cinemas offering screenings on film. For theatres such as the Alex, the screenings also raise the question of whether audiences will come out for a shared big-screen experience.
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