Cinema VinesChristopher Nolan’s latest epic, The Odyssey, defies the usual blockbuster formula by being the first commercial feature shot entirely on IMAX 70mm cameras. The choice means the film is shown in its full, uncropped 1.43:1 aspect ratio, a format that delivers an expansive, detailed image many film lovers consider the pinnacle of cinema experience.
While The Odyssey can still be viewed in standard cinemas, only a limited number of venues worldwide are equipped to project the film exactly as Nolan intended. Reports say each IMAX 70mm print stretches more than 17 kilometres in length and weighs roughly 240 kilograms, underscoring the massive scale of the physical media.
The high‑resolution 70mm format, known as IMAX 1570, has long been a favourite of Nolan. The cameras used are notoriously heavy—about 180 kilograms—and loud, requiring frequent reloading. During production, the film stock had to be changed every three minutes, a logistical challenge that prompted Nolan to collaborate with IMAX to create a sound‑proofing “blimp” to house the camera.
Only 41 theatres worldwide are capable of projecting the film in true IMAX 70mm, with most located in North America, Europe and Australia. Melbourne’s IMAX has become a pilgrimage site for fans, as it is the only cinema in the southern hemisphere with a 1570 reel of The Odyssey. Its screen, 32 metres wide by 23 metres high, is the largest 1.43:1 screen in the world.
General manager Jeremy Fee of Melbourne’s IMAX noted, “We are only one of 41 cinemas across the globe where you can see it in the way that Nolan created the film. There are only seven outside of North America in the entire world, so people do seek out that really special experience. They can’t really see this anywhere else.”
Other venues that can show the film in its full glory include Lincoln Square IMAX in New York City, AMC Universal CityWalk IMAX in Los Angeles, Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood & IMAX – Universal City, CATCL Chinese Theater IMAX in Hollywood, Regal Edwards Ontario Palace & IMAX – Ontario, Regal Irvine Spectrum 21 + IMAX – Irvine, Esquire IMAX – Sacramento, BFI IMAX in London, and Vue Manchester Printworks IMAX in Manchester.
