The Odyssey Sells Out 41 Imax 70mm Screens as Projector Shortage Caps Expansion

3 articles · Updated · WIRED · Jul 25

Only 41 theaters worldwide—25 in the U.S.—can show The Odyssey in full Imax 70mm, and many screenings are already sold out for weeks despite the film’s much wider general release.
That scarcity stems from hardware limits: Imax CEO Rich Gelfond said new film projectors have not been made in about 50 years, while specialized parts needed to build more largely no longer exist.
The rush is amplified because The Odyssey is the first feature shot entirely with Imax film cameras, making the 1.43:1 15/70 presentation the format’s most sought-after version.
Most other Imax venues use digital systems that often crop the image to 1.90:1 on smaller screens, leaving audiences with sharply different experiences under the same Imax label.
Even with digital and other premium-format options available, experts say the rarity of true Imax 70mm helps drive demand—and makes any near-term expansion of those screens unlikely.