Not everybody will get to experience The Odyssey as intended. Christopher Nolan‘s latest film is the first movie to be shot entirely on IMAX film cameras. However, only a limited number of theaters across the United States are equipped to show it in its original format.
Why won’t The Odyssey be adding more IMAX 70mm screenings anytime soon?
The Odyssey is finally out in theaters, and everyone, including Matt Damon and Anne Hathaway, has said that this Greek retelling deserves to be seen in the true IMAX 70mm presentation.
However, not everyone can watch the movie as intended, since only 25 theaters in the U.S. are equipped to project the film in this format. Although many fans are making cross-country trips to watch the film, they have been calling for more IMAX 70mm-equipped theaters.
Unfortunately, IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond explained that adding more IMAX 70mm screens won’t be simple. In an interview with Variety, he stated, “We’re sold out in some theaters into the fifth week already. There’s certainly more demand. The problem is they haven’t made new IMAX film projectors in about 50 years. So we retrofit them, rebuild them, and part of our strategy is to see how far we can take it. But certainly, demand-driven, I’d like to see more.”
Moreover, IMAX confirmed that the parts required to build these specialized film projectors “simply no longer exist.” The CEO further stated, “We build new projectors every day, but film projectors using this film — it’s just not practical. Can all 2,000 of our theaters be film projectors? No. There’s just not that many around. But I think we can continue to grow it.”
To shoot the film, the production ordered specially designed IMAX film cameras from the manufacturer. This filming also fulfilled Nolan’s lifelong dream of shooting an entire feature on IMAX film cameras. However, the limited number of compatible theaters has made expanding IMAX 70mm exhibition more difficult.
This demand is challenging because, apart from the limited availability of the technology, there aren’t many auditoriums designed to accommodate IMAX 70mm screens, and building them is expensive. So, even if they figure it out, not many theaters are designed to support the required infrastructure.
Originally reported by Christie D’Silva on SuperHeroHype.com.
