Christopher Nolan’s latest film The Odyssey hits theaters on July 17, 2026, but the frenzy started long before opening day. Fans across the United States are going to surprising lengths to catch the movie in IMAX 70mm — the format Nolan shot it in. Some are flying from coast to coast. Others are delaying major life decisions. One fan even put off having a second child just to make sure she could be at the opening screening.
The movie is the first feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX cameras. That means the sharpest, clearest image available — but only a handful of theaters in the world can actually project it in its full 70mm glory. With only 41 cinemas globally equipped for IMAX 70mm screenings, and just 24 in the United States, getting a ticket has become a battle.
One Fan Planned Her Second Pregnancy Around the Movie
Amber Connaghan, a 29-year-old tech editor living in the California desert, bought her ticket over a year ago. She will drive three hours to the nearest theater showing The Odyssey in IMAX 70mm.
“One of my friends got pregnant last year, and she’s like, ‘OK, it’s time for you to have your second child.’ I was like, ‘No, I have to wait a few months. Otherwise, it’s going to be too close to The Odyssey.’”
Connaghan told Variety she did not want anything to get in the way of seeing Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s ancient epic. She knew as soon as tickets went on sale that this was something special she could not miss.
Fans Are Flying Across the Country for the Right Screen
Tim McHugh, a 33-year-old healthcare consultant from Pittsburgh, is flying to Los Angeles just to watch the movie at Universal CityWalk — one of the few theaters showing it in IMAX 70mm.
“Seeing something in IMAX 70mm has been a bucket list item for me since I saw Ryan Coogler do a video about the screenings for ‘Sinners.’”
McHugh worked as a projectionist at a local cinema in high school. That experience gave him a deep appreciation for film as a physical medium.
“So much of my after-school life was spent lacing projectors that I fell in love with movies. You feel connected to the medium when you’re putting your hands on film like that.”
McHugh and his brother often take vacations to visit baseball stadiums across America. This time, they decided to take a cinematic detour instead.
Ticket Sales Crashed Websites and Caused Chaos
Universal Pictures made the unusual move of putting IMAX tickets on sale a full year in advance. Most screenings sold out within hours. When the studio released a second batch of tickets in June 2026, fans faced hours-long online queues and websites that kept crashing.
Conrad Rothbaum, a 35-year-old filmmaker in Los Angeles, described the experience.
“It was harrowing. I was on a text chain with friends, and we were all trying to get tickets at the same time. We’re just refreshing and refreshing and the site keeps crashing. Finally, two of my friends texted me that they were done. And when I saw those texts, I thought, ‘Now is the time to log back in because all the reasonable people have given up,’ and I got my ticket.”
Spencer Frey, a 27-year-old recruiting consultant from Hoboken, New Jersey, walked to an AMC theater in New York City during his lunch break after the website kept failing.
“It was pandemonium in there. I’ve never seen so many people packed into the lobby on a weekday, all trying to use a kiosk.”
Some Fans Are Buying Tickets for Multiple Screenings
Simon James, a New York attorney, purchased 18 tickets for IMAX 70mm screenings during the film’s first three weeks.
“Chris Nolan is my favorite director, and I really believe him when he says that the best way to see a Chris Nolan film is in an IMAX theater. The experience of his films is exponentially elevated by viewing it in the right conditions.”
Hogan Shay, a 27-year-old software advisor from Dallas, plans to see the film in IMAX 70mm twice within two weeks.
“This is the biggest movie of the year from the biggest director of our lifetime. We grew up with Nolan’s work. He’s a household name for my generation like Spielberg or Scorsese were for my parents.”
Global Fans Are Flying to Australia for the Ultimate Experience
The frenzy is not limited to the United States. IMAX Melbourne in Australia is the only cinema in the Southern Hemisphere showing The Odyssey in a 1570 film print. That rarity has turned the theater into a global destination.
Fans are flying from Germany, Turkey, Singapore, Malaysia, and even the United States just to watch the film there. The 1570 print runs more than 10 miles long and weighs over 529 pounds.
For Nolan’s followers, this is not simply about watching a new release. It is about experiencing it exactly as the filmmaker intended.
Why IMAX 70mm Matters So Much to Nolan Fans
Nolan has been a strong supporter of film as a medium. He has explained why shooting on IMAX 70mm makes a difference.
“The sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled. The headline, for me, is by shooting on IMAX 70mm film, you’re really letting the screen disappear. You’re getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses.”
The IMAX 70mm format delivers one of the highest-resolution cinematic images available. But it is also demanding, expensive, and increasingly rare. Only a small number of theaters worldwide can project it.
The Movie Itself: What Fans Are So Excited About
The Odyssey is Christopher Nolan’s first film since Oppenheimer, which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2024. The movie adapts Homer’s ancient Greek epic poem, following Odysseus — played by Matt Damon — on his dangerous journey back to Ithaca after the Trojan War.
Along the way, he faces mythical creatures including the Cyclops Polyphemus, the Sirens, and Calypso. Anne Hathaway plays Odysseus’s wife, and Tom Holland plays his son. The cast also includes Zendaya, Robert Pattinson, Elliot Page, and Charlize Theron.
The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 52 minutes and a reported production budget of $250 million.
Advance Bookings Broke Records Across the Globe
The Odyssey set a new BFI IMAX record in London, selling over 28,000 tickets and grossing £750,000 in just 24 hours. In India, IMAX ticket prices reached as high as Rs 3,300 in some cities. Premium recliner seats in Delhi cost Rs 2,500 per person.
Trade estimates suggest the film could earn between $90 million and $100 million in North America during its opening weekend.
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The Frenzy Shows No Signs of Slowing Down
With the film releasing this Friday, fans who secured tickets are making final travel plans. Those who did not get tickets are still searching for any available seat — even if it means a 2 a.m. screening of a nearly three-hour movie.
For Nolan’s most dedicated followers, the journey to see The Odyssey in IMAX 70mm has become almost as epic as the story itself.
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