If you’re planning to see Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey at your local multiplex, you’re likely settling for less than 40% of the intended image. While the July release is being marketed as a “Global Event,” the truth is that only 25 theaters worldwide are equipped to handle the native 15/70mm IMAX film prints that Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema actually engineered.

In a world of digital shortcuts, The Odyssey is a $250 million hardware flex. Here is why you need to find a 70mm seat—and exactly where to find one.

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The “Keighley” Difference

The biggest technical hurdle for 70mm filmmaking has always been noise. The cameras were so loud that dialogue had to be re-recorded in a studio (ADR). For The Odyssey, IMAX debuted the Keighley camera—a carbon-fiber-housed beast that is 35% quieter than its predecessors. This allowed Nolan to record raw, intimate dialogue on-set for the first time in IMAX history. Digital projection simply cannot resolve the “texture” of these intimate moments the way 70mm film can.

The Global 15/70mm “Gold List”

If your theater isn’t on this list, you are watching a digital projection (DCP). To see the full 1.43:1 aspect ratio and the 18K-equivalent resolution, these are the only coordinates that matter:

• United States (East): AMC Lincoln Square 13 — New York, NY
• United States (West): Universal CityWalk & TCL Chinese Theatre — Los Angeles, CA
• United States (West): AMC Metreon 16 — San Francisco, CA
• United States (Midwest): Indiana State Museum — Indianapolis, IN
• United Kingdom: BFI IMAX & The Science Museum — London
• Canada: Scotiabank Theatre — Toronto
• Australia: IMAX Sydney — Darling Harbour

Why the “Digital” Version Fails

Digital IMAX (Laser) is impressive, but it is a “translation” of the original asset. The physical 15/70mm print of The Odyssey runs through the projector horizontally at 336 feet per minute. The resulting image has a “tactile depth” and organic grain that digital sensors cannot replicate.

From the salt-crusted realism of Matt Damon’s (actual) beard to the 2 million feet of Kodak 5219 film used in production, The Odyssey was built for the machine, not the server.

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Photo: Universal Pictures

Author Bio

Jael Rucker is the founder of Decked Out Magazine. She has previously worked as the Associate Commerce Editor at PureWow, focusing on analytics and trends to pitch stories and optimize articles that build and engage their audience. Her work has also been seen in Footwear News and WWD. Prior to 2024, she was the style and pop culture editor at ONE37pm for over three years, contributing numerous product reviews, brand profiles and fashion trend reports, which included interviewing Steph Curry, Snoop Dogg and more.