Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey records booming IMAX advance ticket sales, selling out shows in several theaters a year ahead of its release

96th Academy Awards - Source: Getty
Christopher Nolan at 96th Academy Awards (Image via Getty)

The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, is a retelling of Homer’s epic, told through a psychological and cinematic lens.

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It features Nolan’s signature style, blending themes like heroism, identity, and memory. Like Dunkirk and Interstellar, it aims for epic scale and bold storytelling. Shot in IMAX with real-life effects and striking visuals, the film grounds its mythological tale in human emotion and realism.

The movie will be released globally in 2026, and demand for IMAX tickets is soaring, with several theatres already sold out. The Odyssey features an ensemble cast including Tom Holland, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, and others. Under Nolan's guidance, the cast is expected to deliver powerful, complex performances.

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Nolan's The Odyssey's IMAX ticket sales soar a year before its release

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The Odyssey, directed by Christopher Nolan, is set to be released on July 17, 2026. A year before its premiere, IMAX tickets for the opening weekend sold out in several locations, making headlines immediately. This high demand is mainly due to Nolan's devoted fan base and large-format filmmaking.

Rapid sellouts were recorded in cities like Melbourne and London. Several theatres sold out tickets overnight. Only a few IMAX theatres have the infrastructure to accommodate the 1570 format screenings, and scalpers are already reselling tickets at high rates. IMAX Melbourne's general manager, Jeremy Fee, had a humorous comment regarding the exceptional pre-sale:

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“Just one year in advance – it’s nice and normal to have a pre‑sale like that…I couldn’t be more excited. We worship Nolan here. It’s a bit pathetic. But we love him so much”

For a lot of fans, The Odyssey is a once-in-a-generation cinematic experience rather than just a movie. Even though the movie has not come out yet, people are eager to see Nolan's story in the most immersive way imaginable; thus, early access to 70mm IMAX screenings has turned into a cinematic event in itself.

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By using IMAX cameras exclusively to shoot the entire film, Nolan has set a new industry record with The Odyssey. According to IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, Nolan challenged IMAX to address long-standing technical issues, including camera noise, reload times, and sound integration.

“If you can figure out how to solve these problems, I’m going to make Odyssey 100 percent filmed with IMAX cameras,” Nolan said, as per Rich Gelfond.
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What is The Odyssey about?

The film is a reimagining of Homer's classic that is a "mythic action epic" shot exclusively with IMAX cameras. After Troy falls, Odysseus, King of Ithaca (played by Matt Damon), sets off on a dangerous ten-year journey home.

The enchantress Circe, the Sirens, and the Cyclops Polyphemus are among the legendary enemies he faces along the way, while Poseidon and Athena control his destiny. His wife Penelope and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) are working to protect his legacy from loud suitors back in Ithaca.

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The film is scheduled to release globally on July 17, 2026. Stay tuned for more updates.

Edited by Arunava Dutta
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