Everything You Need to Know Before You See ‘The Odyssey’ in Theaters
Christopher Nolan’s take on Homer’s ancient epic has finally arrived, and it’s shaping up to be one of the biggest theatrical events of the year. Universal scheduled ‘The Odyssey’ for a global IMAX rollout, continuing Nolan’s long-standing preference for large format projection that he’s used on films like ‘Dunkirk’ and ‘Tenet’. Before grabbing a ticket, there are a few practical things worth knowing so the experience doesn’t catch you off guard.
Start with the runtime, because this is not a quick trip to the movies. The film clocks in at 2 hours and 52 minutes, and unlike some classic Hollywood epics of similar length, there’s no built-in pause. Reviewers have pointed out that ‘The Odyssey’ plays straight through with no intermission, turning bathroom timing into its own small strategic decision for the audience.
That length comes with a rating that might surprise fans expecting a family friendly myth adventure. ‘The Odyssey’ has landed an R rating, making it one of the few Nolan films to carry that designation. Combined with the runtime, it’s worth planning accordingly if you’re bringing along younger viewers or a group with mixed tastes for intensity.
Where and how you watch it matters more than usual too. The film was shot entirely on IMAX film cameras, and the purest version of Nolan’s vision can only be seen on 70mm IMAX screens, with just 25 theaters in the United States equipped to show it that way. That format presents the movie in a 1.43 to 1 aspect ratio, which fills more of the screen vertically than the standard rectangular image most audiences are used to.
If a 70mm IMAX theater isn’t within reach, there are still solid options. Moviegoers can catch the film in digital IMAX, premium large formats from chains like Regal RPX and Cinemark XD, or Dolby Cinema, all of which preserve much of the scale even if the purest film grain isn’t present. Standard digital projection is also widely available and will be the most common way audiences ultimately see the film, even if it doesn’t capture every inch of what Nolan originally shot.
Story-wise, don’t expect a strict page-for-page retelling of the poem. Nolan drew particular inspiration from the 2017 translation of ‘The Odyssey’ by classicist Emily Wilson, along with the visual effects work of Ray Harryhausen, and the film blends in characters and moments pulled from beyond Homer’s original text, including figures more closely associated with Virgil’s ‘Aeneid’. Fans hoping for a completely faithful adaptation should walk in expecting some creative liberties layered into the mythology.
How do you plan to watch The Odyssey?
Between the length, the rating, and the format choices, ‘The Odyssey’ asks a lot of its audience before the lights even go down. For those willing to commit to the full theatrical experience, though, it’s clearly been built as the kind of event that rewards seeing it on the biggest screen possible.
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