Should You Watch 'The Odyssey' In IMAX?
I'll admit that as critics, we sometimes sound elitist when we talk about theatrical experiences and whether that changes how a movie is consumed. With social media being a huge focal point in the entertainment space, these conversations are also spreading to non-cinephiles and becoming more prevalent in today's topics regarding film discourse. At the same time, there's a lot to note about what that means from an economic standpoint and how it contributes to box-office numbers, as well as how the industry continues to evolve and grow.
Christopher Nolan's adaptation of The Odyssey is among the biggest movies of the year, and adapting such an iconic epic warrants careful attention in the filming process. So the discourse around The Odyssey goes beyond gods and monsters, as fans decide which format they want to watch when they finally see The Odyssey (2026) in theaters.
Here's everything you need to know about whether or not you should see The Odyssey in IMAX.
The Movie Theater Screens, Explained
If you're constantly hearing people talk about different theatrical experiences and are still confused about what it all means, you aren't alone. Really, few people put as much thought into this as critics and cinephiles do, and that's okay. At the same time, for various reasons, not everybody can make it to theaters for a three-hour movie, so you should never feel ashamed if you can only watch something once it begins streaming for free somewhere. We get it.
Now, with programs like AMC's A-list, members have the chance to pick from a wide variety of experiences, and big movies like The Odyssey plays in every single one. There's IMAX with Laser, Dolby Cinema, Prime, 70mm, Laser, XL, and in a small number of prominent theaters that offer IMAX 70mm.
A lot of these screens are, in a sense, very similar, with a few differences here and there to add layers to the theatrical experience.
Prime and Dolby have some similar details in what they showcase visually with their projections; the only difference is that Dolby always utilizes 4K resolution, whereas Prime occasionally uses 2K if it's not 4K.
4K naturally makes the films brighter and more vivid. They both feature similar forms of immersive sound with slight differences based on the space available within each theater. The seats are also significantly more comfortable than those in a regular laser screen room, in case that's something you want to consider for such a long feature. Essentially, you can't go wrong with either Prime or Dolby for a gorgeous theatrical experience.
IMAX screens, however, are essentially the biggest. Their laser techniques feature 4K (just like Dolby), but it's the scale that makes it that much more appealing.
And here's the thing: You can also see screenings of The Odyssey in 70mm, which runs horizontally. But personally, unless it's IMAX 70mm, I'd rather do IMAX alone for the larger vertical scale, too. All those images that came out of Project Hail Mary (2026) on social media earlier this year were from IMAX 70mm, and there's so much beauty in how vivid and immersive it can feel, but preference between them is based entirely on you.
If you want to hear an explantation from Christopher Nolan himself, who spoke about 70mm IMAX projection during the press tour for Oppenheimer (2023), here's how he explained the technology: "We also shoot on 70mm IMAX. It's the highest quality imaging format ever devised. It gives you an incredible sense of immersion in the image [...] The clarity, the crispness... It is the gold standard, it is the closest to reproducing the world the way that your eye sees it."
Another thing to consider is how each format affects the movie's aspect ratio, which is basically the width and height of an image. Comparison videos online can be very useful to understand how the aspect ratio changes for different formats, including this comparison of Dune: Part Two's Standard VS IMAX release. You can also check The Odyssey's official website, which has an "Explore Formats" feature that allows you to switch between different formats and see how they'll look ahead of time.
Should You Watch 'The Odyssey' In IMAX?
The short answer is yes. You should go and see The Odyssey in IMAX or IMAX 70mm for an incredible, immersive experience. The Odyssey was shot entirely with an IMAX camera, and the intention behind Nolan's vision will shine best on the larger scale—especially considering the epic scale of the source material.
Technology is constantly evolving, and up until more recently, it wasn't possible to capture an entire movie with an IMAX camera. In fact, Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is the first movie to achieve this feat. And now that Nolan has achieved it, the scope of The Odyssey feels like the perfect story to experience this type of visual feast through.
Homer's story is one that's so heavily character-driven that the performances we get from actors will be best experienced on the largest screen possible. According to CBS News, "IMAX worked with Nolan and his photography team to create a mirror system that allowed the camera to capture the actors' faces from a much closer angle." This feature alone makes it worth checking out the movie on an IMAX screen to understand more of the layers within the text that can't be fit into a nearly three-hour timeframe.
The entire point of an IMAX screening is to give the audience an immersive experience that'll allow them to feel like they're part of the film. In a nutshell, movies are all about immersive storytelling, and an IMAX screen with state-of-the-art sound quality makes it easier than ever to lose ourselves in the director's vision.
Everyone has different sensory preferences, lifestyles, and budgets that will affect whether they choose IMAX 70mm, Dolby, or any other format. It's important not to gate-keep the experience of watching and enjoying The Odyssey, no matter which format you choose. Every format has been rigorously reviewed for release, meaning you'll be able to enjoy Nolan's critically acclaimed epic in whichever format is best for you.
