Tickets for the Imax 70mm screenings of Christopher Nolan’s highly anticipated film, The Odyssey, have sold out nearly a year before the movie’s official release date. The rapid sellout, which happened across various global locations, has led to some tickets being resold for prices as high as $400. This surge in demand highlights the considerable excitement surrounding Nolan’s adaptation of the classic Greek tale.
The ticket sales began at midnight Eastern time on Thursday, with Universal and Imax offering presale tickets for preview screenings scheduled from July 16 to 19, 2026. Within the first hour, about 95 percent of the seats had been purchased, generating an estimated $1.5 million in sales, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Limited Imax 70mm Screenings Amplify Demand and Foster Early Resale Market
Imax confirmed that this event marks the first time tickets for a film have been put on sale an entire year prior to its release. Since only one Imax 70mm screening is planned per day at each participating venue over the initial four-day window, the ticket supply was extremely limited, which intensified fan demand. As a result, the opportunity to see Nolan’s latest film in this specific format is increasingly being transferred to ticket resellers.
Major theater chains report swift sellouts for these limited showings. Regal Cinemas completely sold out all its Imax 70mm showings in less than 12 hours at locations including Irvine Spectrum, Mall of Georgia, and King of Prussia. AMC’s Lincoln Square theater in New York City experienced a sellout in just 15 minutes, closely followed by Universal CityWalk in Hollywood. By midday Thursday, at least half of the participating venues across the U.S. and Canada had no remaining tickets.
Other viewing formats such as traditional Imax, premium large formats, and standard digital screenings will be made available as the film’s release date approaches.
Matt Damon Headlines Star-Studded Cast in Christopher Nolan’s Costliest Film to Date
The Odyssey is currently underway with a production budget reportedly reaching $250 million, making it the most expensive movie in Nolan’s filmography. The project follows his recent blockbuster success with Oppenheimer, which earned close to $1 billion worldwide and garnered $190 million from Imax ticket sales alone.
Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, the legendary hero from Greek mythology whose perilous journey home from the Trojan War is fraught with divine interference, monstrous threats, and treachery. Supporting Damon is a distinguished ensemble including Tom Holland, Zendaya, Anne Hathaway, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Mia Goth, and Jon Bernthal.
Although filming is still ongoing, an exclusive teaser for The Odyssey debuted in theaters earlier this month, shown ahead of Jurassic World: Rebirth. Ticket presale information was leaked prematurely by some theater chains, which helped fuel the early and intense demand.
Christopher Nolan’s previous films, such as Oppenheimer, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk, and The Dark Knight trilogy, have often been released with significant Imax components, frequently using Imax cameras during production. Many of these films were box office hits, with Nolan maintaining a strong advocacy for the Imax format throughout his career.
The Odyssey is scheduled to premiere exclusively in theaters on July 18, 2026, with additional screening times and formats to be revealed closer to the launch.
