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The Greek poet Homer sure knew how to tell a story. His 24-part epic The Odyssey has been regarded as a classic of literature going back to mid-6th century BC, and there have been countless adaptations and retellings ever since.
However, there's never been a version of The Odyssey in IMAX — until now.
With Universal Pictures, Academy-Award winning director Christopher Nolan has taken it upon himself to stage a new telling of The Odyssey in a format as epic as the story's structure. Nolan shot the entire film with brand new IMAX film technology, making it the first film ever shot entirely with 70mm IMAX film, that will put the audience right alongside Odysseus (Matt Damon), the king of Ithaca, as he desperately tries to return home to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and son Telemachus (Tom Holland) in the wake of his victory during the Trojan War.
But what is 70mm IMAX, how does it differ from regular IMAX, and how do you get tickets? Let's take a closer look.
RELATED: Everything to Know About Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey
Where are the 25 IMAX 70mm theaters?
Obviously, if you want to watch The Odyssey in IMAX, there are a lot of options. IMAX theaters are in most major cities and beyond, so you shouldn't have a problem finding the film on the absolute biggest screen in your area.
That said, seeing the film projected exactly as Nolan shot, with 70mm IMAX film, is a bit trickier. Because of the heft of the film canisters, the technology required, and the expert projectionists needed to properly handle the film reels, seeing The Odyssey projected in IMAX with 70mm film is a bit more of an exclusive experience, to the point that there are only 25 theaters in the United States exhibiting the film in this format. So, where can you find them? Here's a quick list:
- Harkins Arizona Mills & IMAX - Tempe, AZ
- Regal Hacienda Crossing & IMAX - Dublin, CA
- TCL Chinese Theatres IMAX - Hollywood, CA
- Regal Irvine Spectrum & IMAX - Irvine, CA
- Regal LA Live & IMAX - Los Angeles, CA
- Regal Edwards Ontario Palace Stadium & IMAX - Ontario, CA
- Esquire IMAX Theatre - Sacramento, CA
- AMC Metreon 16 & IMAX - San Francisco, CA
- Universal Cinema AMC at CityWalk Hollywood & IMAX - Universal City, CA
- Cinemark Carefree Circle & IMAX - Colorado Springs, CO
- Regal Colorado Center 9 & IMAX - Denver, CO
- AutoNation IMAX, Museum of Discovery & Science - Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Regal Mall of Georgia & IMAX - Buford, GA
- Cinemark Seven Bridges & IMAX - Woodridge, IL
- IMAX, Indiana State Museum - Indianapolis, IN
- Celebration Cinema Grand Rapids North & IMAX - Grand Rapids, MI
- Brenden Palms 14 & IMAX - Las Vegas, NV
- AMC Lincoln Square 13 & IMAX - New York, NY
- Cinemark Tinseltown Rochester & IMAX - Rochester, NY
- Regal UA King of Prussia & IMAX - King of Prussia, PA
- Apple Cinema Providence Place & IMAX - Providence, RI
- IMAX, Tennessee Aquarium - Chattanooga, TN
- Regal Opry Mills & IMAX - Nashville, TN
- Cinemark Dallas & IMAX - Dallas, TX
- AMC Rivercenter 11 & IMAX - San Antonio, TX
For showtimes at each theater, as well as a selection of international theaters in Canada, the United Kingdom, and beyond, head to the IMAX website.
RELATED: Tom Holland on the Unique Challenges of Shooting The Odyssey Entirely in IMAX
Why did Christopher Nolan film The Odyssey in IMAX?
In a recent interview with CBS News, Nolan explained that he still believes there's nothing like the communal experience of watching a film on a huge screen with the best fidelity a camera can capture. He said of IMAX, "that's the highest quality imaging format that's ever been devised. There's nothing that competes with it."
He continued, "It's a massive negative, which when correctly exposed, correctly printed, and you know, projected onto a huge screen… there's an image quality there that you can't get anywhere else. Incredible sharpness. Very little visible grain."
The Odyssey was shot with a combination of original and new IMAX Film Cameras which film in the highest resolution, up to three times higher than digital cameras.
