Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is already making headlines ahead of its release on Friday. While advance bookings continue to surge, fans are also paying premium prices to experience the first feature film shot entirely on IMAX cameras.
IMAX Ticket Prices Across Metro Cities
Strong demand for The Odyssey has sent ticket prices soaring across metro cities, with IMAX and premium-format shows commanding the highest rates.
In Mumbai, recliner seats at PVR Icon, Phoenix Palladium, are priced at Rs 3,100, while Miraj IMAX, Wadala, is charging Rs 2,500 for premium seats. Regular tickets range from around Rs 700 to Rs 2,000, depending on the theatre and show timing.
The National Capital Region is seeing similar prices. Recliners at PVR IMAX with Laser, Priya, cost up to Rs 2,500, while PVR Select City Walk has premium seats priced at Rs 2,400. At PVR Superplex Logix, Noida, recliner tickets are priced between Rs 1,800 and Rs 1,850. The cheapest IMAX ticket in the region is Rs 520 at INOX Coca-Cola IMAX, Nehru Place.
In other cities, ticket prices are slightly lower. INOX South City Mall in Kolkata has tickets priced up to Rs 1,240, while Cinepolis Nexus Shantiniketan in Bengaluru is charging up to Rs 1,950. At PVR VR Bengaluru, prices range from Rs 1,200 to Rs 1,850.
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What Makes IMAX Different From Digital?
Most films today are shot on digital cameras, which are smaller, lighter, quieter and can record continuously for long periods.
IMAX film cameras, however, use large 65mm film instead of digital sensors, allowing them to capture far more detail in every frame. According to IMAX, each frame carries image information equivalent to around 14K-16K resolution, compared with the 4K-8K typically captured by digital cinema cameras. They also record a taller frame, allowing more of the image to fill the IMAX screen for a more immersive experience.
The trade-off is that IMAX cameras are far more challenging to use. Once enclosed in a special sound-proof cover called the "blimp," they weigh nearly 300 pounds, and the film reels must be replaced every two-and-a-half to three minutes unlike digital cameras.
After Oppenheimer, IMAX engineers developed a new camera system called The Keighley, named after the late David Keighley. While the crew also created a special mirror setup so actors could maintain eye contact around the massive cameras.
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Why Christopher Nolan Prefers IMAX?
Christopher Nolan has been using IMAX cameras for many years in films like The Dark Knight, Dunkirk, Tenet and Oppenheimer. But The Odyssey is the first time he has shot an entire film using IMAX cameras.
Speaking to the Associated Press, Nolan said the format offers a picture quality that is difficult to match. "The sharpness and the clarity and the depth of the image is unparalleled," he said.
He also explained why he believes IMAX gives audiences a unique experience. "By shooting on IMAX 70mm film, you're really letting the screen disappear. You're getting a feeling of 3D without the glasses. You've got a huge screen and you're filling the peripheral vision of the audience. You're immersing them in the world of the film," Nolan said.
Looking back at The Dark Knight, he recalled the audience's reaction to its opening IMAX sequence. "Every time we screened that, we would get a gasp. It was something no one had seen before," he said.
Nolan has also encouraged audiences to watch the film on IMAX if they can. "If they can find an IMAX screen to see the film on, that's great. It really is just a great way of giving people an experience that they can't possibly get in the home," he said.
The Odyssey proves that for Christopher Nolan, how a film is experienced is just as important as the story itself.
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