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Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey is already generating immense buzz, and now, Universal Pictures has made a bold, unprecedented move to stoke that excitement even further. Tickets for the Imax 70mm screenings of the film will go on sale starting July 17, 2025—a full year ahead of its official theatrical release on July 17, 2026. This unusually early ticket release underscores both the film’s massive expectations and Nolan’s continued commitment to the cinematic experience, particularly the Imax format that he has long championed.
Only a select number of theaters around the world are equipped to handle Imax 70mm projection, a visually rich and technically demanding format that Nolan prefers for his storytelling. Just as it did with Oppenheimer, which earned nearly $975 million globally and took home the Oscar for Best Picture, the format promises to play a significant role in the success of The Odyssey. Universal’s confidence in launching advance sales this far ahead speaks volumes about the scale and anticipation surrounding the project.
Set against the mythic backdrop of Homer’s legendary poem, The Odyssey stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the war-weary hero struggling to return home from the Trojan War. Tom Holland joins him as Telemachus, Odysseus’ son, and the film boasts a high-caliber supporting cast that includes Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, and Jon Bernthal. The story promises emotional depth, sweeping battles, and psychological nuance—all hallmarks of Nolan’s work.
In another groundbreaking move, The Odyssey is set to become the first film shot entirely using Imax cameras. Nolan’s long-standing collaboration with Imax began with The Dark Knight in 2008 and evolved through Inception, Interstellar, Tenet, and Oppenheimer, the last of which drew 20% of its box office from Imax screens alone. That history suggests that audiences will once again flock to premium screenings, possibly traveling long distances just to catch the film in its most immersive format.
Nolan’s fans have come to expect a certain reverence for the theatrical experience, and The Odyssey appears poised to push that ethos even further. Universal has begun screening a brief teaser ahead of Jurassic World Rebirth and Superman, though it has not been made available online—another nod to Nolan’s insistence that cinematic experiences should begin in the theater, not on social media.
With a tagline like “A Journey Begins” and an ensemble stacked with award-winning talent, The Odyssey is shaping up to be both a visual feast and an emotional odyssey in every sense. For now, those lucky enough to live near an Imax 70mm-equipped theater can claim a front-row seat to Nolan’s next ambitious vision—if they’re fast enough.