Christopher Nolan is no stranger to IMAX film. The acclaimed director utilized the format extensively in previous features including Interstellar, The Dark Knight, and Oppenheimer, but his next project, a retelling of the epic The Odyssey, looks to push the medium even further. Currently in production, The Odyssey is set to be the first feature shot entirely on IMAX film.
Set to release next Summer, The Odyssey isn’t the first film to be shot entirely on IMAX hardware, but it is the first to accomplish that feat while also being shot on film. IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond spoke at a press lunch during the Cannes film festival, explaining how Nolan reached out to him and laid out his lofty idea for the film.
“Chris called me up and said, ‘If you can figure out how to solve the problems, I will make [Odyssey] 100 percent in IMAX’ And that’s what we’re doing,” said Gelfond, per The Hollywood Reporter. “He forced us to rethink that side of our business, our film recorders, our film cameras.”
Shooting entirely on IMAX film was previously thought impossible due to the cameras required being large, loud, and unwieldy. The new cameras are reportedly lighter and up to 30% quieter. Gelfond also noted that new processes have been developed to speed up turnaround on dailies, making the production process smoother. The Odyssey is currently slated for a July 2026 release.
See also: Nolan continues to be particular about the medium of film, even on home release
