RESOLVING THE LEDGER
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Universal and Imax have extended the availability of 70 mm screenings of Christopher Nolan's retelling of Homer's epic into mid-September, but that might not be enough to meet demand.
Tickets are selling out as quickly as they are being released to the public as moviegoers seek to see Nolan's film in the aspect ratio that it was shot in and on physical film. While Imax offers a variety of screen options, including digital versions of the 70 mm aspect ratio, these viewings are often cropped to fit the auditorium in which they are being shown.
There are only 25 screens in the U.S. that can play physical film reels of Nolan's "The Odyssey" and only 41 locations in total globally. Those screens are limited in number because the majority of movies are filmed and screened digitally. As demand for "The Odyssey" soars, Imax has introduced late night and early morning screenings.
As of the weekend, Imax ticket sales for "The Odyssey" have surpassed $140 million worldwide. That's a little more than 20% of the $652 million the film has tallied globally. Yet, the Imax locations represent less than 1% of total screens.
The theatrical industry saw a similar phenomenon in 2023 when Nolan released the Oscar-winning biopic "Oppenheimer."
Overall, "The Odyssey" has dominated at the box office, with second-week ticket sales dropping just 27% from its domestic opening weekend. Typically, a Hollywood blockbuster will see ticket sales fall between 50% and 70% each week after its debut. A smaller decline often indicates strong word of mouth and repeat viewings.
"The Odyssey" has also benefitted from audiences booking tickets in advance. Some screenings of the film became available for purchase in July 2025, a year before the movie's release.
For the past three weeks, "The Odyssey" has run in theaters with relatively low competition. However, with Sony and Marvel's "Spider-Man: Brand New Day" arriving this Friday and the filmed-for-Imax features "The End of Oak Street" and "Resident Evil" on the horizon, "The Odyssey" will soon have to share screen time with others.
However, Imax's next 70 mm commitment isn't until Dec. 18, when Warner Bros. and Denis Villeneuve's "Dune: Part Three" hits theaters.
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