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Oscar-winning blockbuster filmmaker Chris Nolan is shooting his next film, an adaptation of The Odyssey for Universal, entirely on IMAX film cameras — the first time it’s ever been done.
The Big Picture: IMAX has been blowing up in popularity with moviegoers over the past decade, reaching a fever pitch in the past few years. That’s because people increasingly want a trip to the theater to feel like a unique event they can’t recreate at home… and there’s nothing bigger or more immersive than the IMAX format. Nolan is again paving the way for more filmmakers and studios to adopt the cinematic tech.
Behind the Scenes: When Nolan told IMAX head Rich Gelfond that he wanted to shoot his next movie entirely on IMAX film (not just key sequences as usually done), Gelfond didn’t think it was possible.
But he was pushed to rise to the “challenge” (per Nolan’s own words).
- Although several productions shoot on lighter and quieter IMAX digital cameras annually, IMAX film is more difficult to shoot on because of logistics around reloading stock, galley sounds, and the timely re-watching of dailies.
- So, IMAX built an entirely new camera rig that’s much lighter and 30% quieter than its previous film camera (which, as THR notes, could solve the muffled dialogue issues in past Nolan films like Tenet) and can process dailies much faster.
- For now, the new cameras are reserved only for Nolan but will be available for other filmmakers after he finishes The Odyssey (which comes out July of next year).
Closing Credits: IMAX has transformed into a box-office goldmine. In 2023, 20% of Oppenheimer’s $975.8 million in ticket sales came from the format, with people waiting weeks to see the movie in Nolan’s intended exhibition. Ryan Coogler’s Sinners, the first movie since Oppenheimer to be shot using IMAX film cameras, has also made a huge splash in IMAX and and is re-releasing this weekend in IMAX’s rarest format, 70mm film. And Greta Gerwig carved out a small IMAX run for her next movie, Narnia, even though it’s for Netflix. Talk about cultural influence.
Projection: Considering the star power both Nolan and IMAX now bring to any project, we wouldn’t be surprised if The Odyssey becomes one of the top ten highest-grossing movies of all time… in large part thanks to IMAX ticket sales.
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