‘The Odyssey’ Was Made for Imax 70mm. Good Luck Watching It That Way
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey has generated intense demand for screenings in Imax 70mm, the format in which it was filmed, but only 41 cinemas worldwide can show it in full. The scarcity has left many venues sold out for weeks and highlights longstanding confusion over what audiences receive when cinemas market screenings as “Imax”.
Imax 70mm uses a large 65mm film negative run horizontally to create a sharp, near-square 1.43:1 image on very large screens, unlike many digital Imax sites that use smaller screens and wider cropped images. The Odyssey is also available in five other premium formats and was composed to work across them, as well as future Blu-ray and streaming releases; however, critics argue that Imax branding does not clearly explain these differences.
In short
- Only 41 cinemas can show The Odyssey in full Imax 70mm.
- Digital Imax experiences vary widely in screen size and image format.
- Nolan designed the film to work beyond its rarest presentation.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Audiences purchasing 'IMAX' tickets are confused about what they're actually receiving, as evidenced by the massive demand for the rare 70mm version and widespread sold-out venues. With only 41 cinemas capable of showing The Odyssey in its intended format, the failure to clearly distinguish between genuine 70mm IMAX and digital variants represents a genuine gap between marketing promises and delivery. Consumers deserve transparent labelling that explains these substantial technical differences before they pay premium prices.
The case against
All technology sectors feature varying specifications across implementations, and IMAX does communicate its specific systems to both cinemas and audiences. This scarcity problem is exceptional, created by Christopher Nolan's specific artistic choice to optimise for 70mm IMAX, not by deceptive IMAX marketing. Most releases don't create this supply-demand mismatch, and expecting simplified marketing descriptions for what is inherently complex professional technology could actually confuse general audiences further.
Explained simply
Imax 70mm is a cinema format that uses a specific type of camera to produce exceptionally clear, large images. When cinemas advertise "Imax" screenings, audiences may not receive this premium format—many instead use digital projection with different image dimensions and quality. Yet all are marketed under the same Imax label, creating confusion about what viewers are actually paying for.
Filmmaker Christopher Nolan recently shot his latest film, The Odyssey, specifically on Imax 70mm. The film can be viewed in several different premium formats and will later be available on streaming platforms. However, cinema branding typically does not explain these differences clearly to audiences.
Only a small number of cinemas worldwide possess the equipment to show The Odyssey in true Imax 70mm format. The rarity of this particular format has brought attention to long-standing complaints about transparency in cinema marketing. Critics argue that audiences deserve clearer information about the viewing experience they are paying for.