Nolan’s The Odyssey Is the First Narrative Feature Shot Entirely on IMAX Film

Overview

• Variety reports that Christopher Nolan and Hoyte van Hoytema committed to IMAX for every scene after tests showed a child reciting David Bowie lyrics could be captured with intimate, usable sound.
• Nolan says the custom IMAX “blimp” casing cuts camera noise enough to record whispers inches from an actor’s face, opening up close dialogue on large‑format film.
• Empire’s first-look photo from set shows next‑generation IMAX 65mm cameras in use, with Y.M.Cinema noting the image appears to reveal a lighter carbon‑fiber body and an integrated display, details IMAX has not yet formally confirmed.
• Nolan told Empire he shot over 2 million feet of 65mm film across a 91‑day shoot, a stock outlay estimated at roughly $3 million based on Kodak’s published pricing.
• Universal dated the film for July 17, 2026, with Matt Damon as Odysseus and an ensemble including Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron and Jon Bernthal; commentators suggest the new system could ease past dialogue‑clarity critiques, though final judgment awaits the release.