According to the Hollywood Reporter on 17/7/2026, multiple theaters in the US, Canada, and several European countries reported sold-out screenings of The Odyssey. Tickets for the Imax 70 mm format, known for its superior image and sound quality, were gone within an hour of going on sale.

Screenings of "The Odyssey" at AMC Lincoln Square 13 in New York (USA) on 17/7/2026 only had front-row seats left after less than 20 minutes of sales. Photo: *Reddit*

On social media, many moviegoers reported staying up all night trying to secure tickets but were unsuccessful. One X user commented, "It's sad that others got tickets, but I didn't".

According to Deadline, this year-long advance sale is unprecedented in cinema history. The ticket sales generated an estimated 1.5 million USD. Many tickets later appeared on platforms like eBay and Amazon for 300-400 USD each, over 10 times the original price (around 25-28 USD). Nolan's previous film, Oppenheimer, set an Imax box office record of over 190 million USD, accounting for 20% of its global ticket sales.

As of now, around 16 Imax theaters in the US are scheduled to show Nolan's new film from 17/7/2026 to 19/7/2026. Major theaters like AMC Lincoln Square (New York), Universal Cinema CityWalk Hollywood, and Regal Irvine Spectrum (California) are already sold out. The same situation is occurring in cities like San Francisco, Fort Lauderdale, Dallas (USA), Toronto (Canada), London (UK), Melbourne (Australia), and Prague (Czech Republic).

Director Christopher Nolan. Photo: *Deadline*

Inspired by Homer's epic poem, The Odyssey, filmed entirely with Imax cameras, has an estimated budget of 250 million USD. The film draws inspiration from Greek mythology, with Matt Damon starring as Odysseus, the hero who takes 10 years to return home after the Trojan War. The character encounters gods, monsters, and various trials to reunite with his wife and reclaim his kingdom.

The film also boasts an A-list cast, including Tom Holland (playing Odysseus's son), Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Mia Goth, and Jon Bernthal. With its large-scale investment, The Odyssey is expected to be a global box office phenomenon following the success of Oppenheimer (2023).

Homer's Odyssey is a masterpiece of world literature, though its origins and exact details are difficult to verify. It is attributed to Homer, who lived in the early 8th century BC. He was a writer and bard who recounted ancient Greek legends. His two works, the Iliad and the Odyssey, were officially recorded in the 6th century BC under the orders of the Athenian tyrant Peisistratos.

The work is 12,110 lines long, divided into 24 books of varying lengths. Book 6 is the shortest with 331 lines, while Book 4 is the longest with 847. The Odyssey has two main storylines: Odysseus's journey to reclaim his kingdom, and his faithful wife Penelope’s steadfast wait during his absence.

Christopher Nolan, 55, is a British-American director who has been making films since 1998 and gained recognition with Memento (2000). Throughout his career, Nolan has received numerous awards and was listed among Time magazine's 100 most influential people in the world in 2015 and 2019. In December 2024, he and his wife were knighted by King Charles III for their contributions to cinema.

Que Chi (*Hollywood Reporter*)