Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film, The Odyssey, is generating such buzz that major movie theaters are taking notice and getting ready. Earlier this year, Regal Cinemas announced plans to build or upgrade new IMAX theaters equipped to play the 2026 blockbuster, and today, Cinemark joined the party, announcing even further upgrades.
According to Variety, “Cinemark will build three new 70mm film projection systems and four new IMAX with Laser systems in the United States. Cinemark will also upgrade its remaining 12 IMAX screens to IMAX with Laser, a 4K laser projection system developed to deliver the clearest images and best audio through proprietary technology.” Those 70mm locations will be at Cinemark Seven Bridges in Woodridge, IL; Cinemark Carefree Circle in Colorado Springs, CO; and Cinemark Tinseltown in Rochester, NY.
As of today, there are only about 30 theaters in the world capable of showing films in 70mm IMAX, which is the format Nolan shot the entire film in and will be the preferred format for it to screen in. But, by the time its July 2026 release rolls around, the number is now likely to be closer to 40. Which doesn’t seem like a huge deal overall, but for film fans in those extra cities, it sure is. Plus, there are also the theaters that won’t have 70mm IMAX but are upgrading their IMAX projectors, increasing the picture quality extensively.
You’d think theaters would always be doing things like this. Making changes, updating technology, etc. But more often than not, it’s not the case. That’s why this news feels more significant than usual. Theaters are looking at an upcoming movie and saying, “We need to be better for this.” It’s a move that’s been a long time coming, especially since, in recent years, IMAX releases of major blockbusters have pretty regularly had higher attendance numbers than normal screenings. Fans know they can wait a few weeks or months to see Sinners at home, but they’ll never ever be able to see it at home on a screen the size of a building. So, people pay a premium and turn out for that.
The other huge factor here is that The Odyssey is the first feature-length Hollywood film ever shot entirely in 70mm IMAX. It’s a feat that was basically impossible in the past due to the size of the cameras. But, for Nolan, IMAX developed whole new cameras that are smaller and quieter and are now going to allow filmmakers to make even more of their films in the large-scale format. Up next? Denis Villeneuve’s Dune Part Three.
IMAX sold out several key 70mm IMAX screenings of The Odyssey back in July in an unprecedented promotional stunt. Clearly, interest is there. And now, by the time the film comes out, there will be many, many more places to see the film in that format.
The Odyssey, which stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, and Robert Pattinson, opens July 17, 2026. A teaser has been playing exclusively in theaters for a few months, but expect to see one released online in December, around the release of Avatar: Fire and Ash.
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