In a not altogether unexpected move, it looks like Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey will be taking a victory lap in IMAX theaters this Friday. IMAX had been playing the film in 70mm all summer long, but had to surrender those screens to Warner Bros.’ Digger, starring Tom Cruise, last weekend. But with the film opening disastrously, it’s back to The Odyssey, which makes a lot of sense if you consider that IMAX 70mm screens had been selling out around the clock, even more than two months after the movie opened.
The intent had been for Digger to be an IMAX event, similar to what happened with Paul Thomas Anderson’s One Battle After Another last year, given that it was shot in 65mm VistaVision. But one can’t argue with those box office stats.
Interestingly, The Odyssey could play on IMAX 70mm screens for months to come, with the next real 70mm IMAX movie being Dune: Part Three, which doesn’t open until December 18th. Even still, plenty of movies will be shuffling through digital IMAX screens over the next few months, including Street Fighter on October 16th, Godzilla Minus Zeroon November 6th, and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping on November 20th.
It’s also possible that one or more of those movies might get 70mm screens, but with The Odyssey seemingly a surefire event, and demand still not dropping off, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see it keep a lock on those screens for months to come.
If you don’t happen to have an IMAX 70mm screen near you, it’s worth noting that the IMAX re-release this weekend includes digital IMAX screens as well, although this will likely be short-term, with Street Fighter opening in a week.
Will you be taking the opportunity to see—or see again—The Odyssey in 70mm IMAX? Let us know in the comments.
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