News Christopher Nolan Film The Odyssey

Christopher Nolan has defended filming The Odyssey entirely on IMAX, despite the huge debate

A lot of people think it's unfair

Hebe Hancock
15th July 2026, 11:07
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Christopher Nolan‘s upcoming epic The Odyssey has sparked a surprisingly heated debate before it’s even arrived in cinemas, with some people worried they won’t actually see the whole film unless they manage to catch it in IMAX 70mm.

The movie, which lands in cinemas on Friday, is the first feature ever filmed entirely using IMAX cameras. While that’s a huge technical milestone, it’s also left people wondering whether standard cinema screenings will show a cropped version of what Nolan actually shot.

Depending on which cinema format you choose, you won’t necessarily see every part of the frame Nolan captured. The full image is only available in the film’s intended IMAX presentation.

Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter, Nolan explained: “We’re on a real boat in the real sea. Then you have the wonderful ability to position your camera exactly where you need it to be in space to bring the audience into relationship with the story.”

“The thing with cinema that’s often misunderstood is that it’s not a technology; it’s a medium.”

Nolan has spent years championing IMAX 1570 film, which is widely regarded as the highest-resolution film format available. The name comes from the 70mm film stock and the 15 perforations that make up each frame.

Filming an entire feature this way wasn’t straightforward either. IMAX 1570 cameras are enormous, weighing around 180kg, they’re notoriously loud, and each reel of film lasts only about three minutes before needing to be replaced.

To make The Odyssey possible, Nolan and IMAX spent years refining the technology. After Oppenheimer, they developed a soundproof housing, known as “the blimp”, that finally made it quiet enough to record dialogue while shooting on IMAX 1570 cameras.

Via Universal

Nolan previously explained why he remains committed to the format while speaking to The Associated Press in 2023.

“If they can find an IMAX screen to see the film on, that’s great,” he said. “It really is just a great way of giving people an experience that they can’t possibly get in the home.”

He also described why he believes the format feels so immersive.

“The screen disappears,” Nolan said, explaining that the huge image fills the audience’s field of vision and creates an experience that’s difficult to replicate anywhere else.

So, if you watch The Odyssey in a standard cinema, you won’t be seeing quite as much of the frame as audiences in IMAX 1570. But unless you’re lucky enough to live near one of the few remaining 1570 venues, it’s probably not worth stressing over. You’ll still be watching the same film, just in a slightly different presentation.

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Featured image credit: Universal