Christopher Nolan's upcoming film, The Odyssey, is already generating unprecedented levels of excitement, with IMAX 70mm tickets selling out a year in advance of its July 17, 2026 release date. This remarkable demand underscores Nolan's status as a cinematic visionary and the anticipation surrounding his adaptation of Homer's epic poem.
The early ticket sales, which began on July 17, 2025, saw premiere tickets for IMAX 70mm screenings vanish within hours across select venues in cities like London, New York, Los Angeles, Toronto, Melbourne, and Prague. Approximately $1.5 million in early ticket sales were generated, with initial prices ranging from $25 to $28. The rapid sell-out led to a surge in resale prices, with some tickets listed online for as much as $500. This marks the first time in cinematic history that tickets have been offered a full year in advance.
The Odyssey boasts a star-studded cast, including Matt Damon as Odysseus, Tom Holland as Telemachus, and Charlize Theron as Circe. The ensemble cast also features Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, Jon Bernthal, and Mia Goth. Nolan has reunited with several of his past collaborators, including Damon, Hathaway, and Pattinson.
The film is being produced by Nolan's production company, Syncopy, and distributed by Universal Pictures. The Odyssey has an estimated production budget of $250 million, making it Nolan's most expensive film to date. The film is also notable for being the first blockbuster to be shot entirely using IMAX film cameras, utilizing a newly developed, lighter, and quieter version of the technology.
Filming began in February 2025 and has taken place in various locations around the world, including Morocco, Greece, Italy, Scotland, and Iceland. Nolan is known for his preference for practical effects and real-world locations, and significant portions of the budget have been allocated to these aspects of the production.
Universal's distribution chief, Jim Orr, teased the film at CinemaCon, describing it as "a visionary, once-in-a-generation cinematic masterpiece that Homer himself would quite likely be proud of". A 70-second teaser trailer, featuring Holland as Telemachus and Bernthal, debuted in theaters ahead of screenings for Jurassic World Rebirth in July 2025. The trailer, which reportedly features a final image of Damon's Odysseus lost at sea, quickly leaked online.
The extraordinary demand for The Odyssey tickets reflects the anticipation for Nolan's unique brand of large-format storytelling. His previous film, Oppenheimer, grossed nearly $1 billion worldwide, with over $190 million coming from IMAX screenings. The sell-out of IMAX 70mm tickets a year in advance suggests that The Odyssey could potentially outperform even Avengers: Doomsday at the box office.
As fans eagerly await the release of The Odyssey, the unprecedented ticket sales serve as a testament to Christopher Nolan's cinematic influence and the enduring appeal of Homer's epic tale.
