Nolan's 70mm 'The Odyssey' Gains Force in IMAX as Only 40 Theaters Can Show It
Updated
Updated · The Verge · Jul 20
Nolan's 70mm 'The Odyssey' Gains Force in IMAX as Only 40 Theaters Can Show It
3 articles · Updated · The Verge · Jul 20
Summary
A second viewing in standard IMAX made "The Odyssey" feel markedly more immersive, with its monster set pieces reading more clearly than they did in a 35mm screening.
The taller IMAX frame — 1.90:1 versus 35mm's 2.39:1 — reveals more of Polyphemus and Scylla, sharpening scale, movement and performance details that were easier to miss before.
That difference stems from Nolan shooting the film entirely with 70mm IMAX cameras, a format the report argues best conveys the story's intended visual impact.
Only about 40 theaters worldwide, including 25 in the US, can screen 70mm IMAX, limiting access and fueling criticism that the format's scarcity and higher ticket prices encourage purism.
IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond told Variety the bottleneck reflects projector shortages and the high cost of building 1.43:1 venues, leaving scarcity to double as a marketing tool.