The next level of cinematic experience…
Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film “The Odyssey” will be the first film ever to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras, according to IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond.
At the Cannes Film Festival, Gelfond spoke about the discussions he had had with Nolan about the challenges of making a film that is 100% IMAX.
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“A year before Chris started filming ‘The Odyssey,’ he called me and said he wanted to make a whole movie shot with IMAX cameras,” Gelfond said.
But now they have still managed it.
A technological milestone
Nolan allegedly told Gelfond:
“I’m giving you a challenge. If you manage to solve these problems, I will make “Odyssey” 100% on film with IMAX cameras.
“And we solved his problems,” Gelfond continued. “So this will be the first film ever shot 100% with IMAX cameras.”
The challenges of IMAX
Among the challenges with IMAX is that the cameras have traditionally been very noisy, which makes audio recording of dialogue difficult. In addition, it has been inconvenient for daily reviews of recorded material.
Gelfond didn’t go into details about how these challenges have been solved, but IMAX’s latest camera models are around 30% quieter than previous versions – which has likely been crucial.
A unique cinematic experience
Nolan’s previous film, “Oppenheimer”, only used IMAX format for about a quarter of its running time. “The Odyssey” is therefore a film that is not necessarily optimally suited for ordinary cinemas.
IMAX 70mm film has an aspect ratio of 1.43:1, which is higher than the ultra-wide format often used in blockbuster films. This means that most views will likely be cropped at the top and bottom to adapt to the cinema’s usual screen format.
Limited number of real IMAX cinemas
Even many IMAX halls can only display digital projections in 1.90:1 format. Therefore, tickets for screenings at venues such as the Science Museum’s Ronson Theatre in London and the VUE cinema in Manchester will be highly sought after – these are among the few in the UK that can display the full 1.43:1 IMAX format.
“The Odyssey” premieres July 17, 2026. There is probably still a while until the tickets go on sale, but the film promises to be a unique cinematographic experience.
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