Tennessee Aquarium IMAX Reinstalls 70mm Projector for 3-Week 'The Odyssey' Run

Q: With tickets reselling for over $1000, has the ultimate cinematic experience now become inaccessible to the average moviegoer?

Yes — for the rarest version of the film, it largely has. The Chattanooga screenings show why. Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” was shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film, and only about 25 U.S. theaters can show it in that original format. That scarcity, combined with Nolan’s fan base and the film’s “meant to be seen in IMAX” marketing, has driven extraordinary demand. Chattanooga’s aquarium theater has already set pre-sale records, with moviegoers coming from roughly 25 states, while resale listings in some markets have climbed above $1,000. That does not mean the movie itself is inaccessible. Standard screenings, digital IMAX, and other premium formats remain far cheaper and much more widely available. But the specific “ultimate” version — original IMAX 70mm on a full-size screen — is now a luxury product in practice, especially on opening weekend. The deeper issue is not just fandom but supply. These theaters are expensive to maintain, film projection is labor-intensive, and very few venues still have the equipment or trained staff. That makes the format vulnerable to scarcity pricing and scalping, much like major concerts or sports events. So the average moviegoer is not shut out of seeing “The Odyssey,” but is increasingly priced out of seeing it in the most coveted way. The film industry’s premium-format strategy may boost box office, yet it also risks turning the highest-end theatrical experience into something reserved for those with money, flexibility, or luck.

3 articles · Updated · Chattanooga Times Free Press · Jul 11

Chattanooga's Tennessee Aquarium IMAX will show "The Odyssey" on film for the first time since 2016 after reinstalling its dormant projector for a three-week run starting Thursday.
Only 25 U.S. theaters can screen Christopher Nolan's feature in IMAX 70mm, and the aquarium said "Oppenheimer" demand plus "The Odyssey" being shot entirely on IMAX 70mm drove the decision.
The setup is unusually labor-intensive: the nearly three-hour print runs about 11 miles, weighs roughly 600 pounds, and requires returning projectionists to operate three screenings a day.
Pre-sales are already the theater's strongest since it began regularly showing Hollywood films in 2022, with ticket buyers from about 25 states and expectations of sellouts and a new attendance record.