70mm IMAX theaters sell out as Odyssey fans scramble
Demand for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has packed 70mm IMAX theaters from New York to Boston, with many showtimes sold out for weeks. Fans are hunting scarce seats, facing sketchy scalpers online, and even considering long drives to catch the film in the rare large-format projection Nolan prefers.
Key Takeaways
- Only 41 Imax 70mm screens exist worldwide, and New York City has just one—AMC Lincoln Square—where screenings are sold out to an unprecedented degree.
- Boston-area theaters report weekend sellouts and unusual Monday crowds for 70mm and premium presentations of The Odyssey.
- $33 Lincoln Square tickets have drawn eBay bids from $69 up to $1,200 for a pair, while Reddit communities warn of scammers.
- Some New Yorkers are looking six hours upstate to Rochester, where Imax 70mm tickets remain available this week.
Why are 70mm IMAX theaters so hard to book?
According to Variety, AMC Lincoln Square 13 is the only Imax 70mm screen in New York City and one of just 41 worldwide. Wheelchair spots are all that remain for many showtimes there.
Sold-out Lincoln Square Imax 70mm screenings include every 2 a.m. showing through Aug. 2 and all other listed times through Aug. 12. An AMC spokesperson declined to say whether more showtimes would be added soon.
That scarcity helps explain why the format—not just the star-studded cast—has become the destination. For more film and screen alerts, see our Streaming & TV Alerts coverage.
How packed are theaters outside New York?
In the Boston area, CBS News reports a moviegoing surge around Nolan's hit. Coolidge Corner Theater artistic director Mark Anastasio said the venue "sold out our entire weekend of shows" and called it the busiest stretch since the last Nolan film ran there in 70mm.
Coolidge sold roughly 100 tickets to a Monday 70mm matinee—usually a slow slot. Anastasio noted the larger film frame delivers more detail and texture than digital, with technicians cycling nine reels across two projectors for the nearly three-hour epic.
Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Boston's Seaport sold 990 tickets on Saturday despite Sail Boston crowds and the World Cup finals nearby, general manager Vanessa Morales said. She pointed to Anne Hathaway, Matt Damon, Zendaya, and Tom Holland as draws—and to audiences tired of streaming at home, with heavy Monday walk-ups.
What's happening with Odyssey ticket scalpers?
On Reddit's r/NYCmovies, fans pleaded for any 70mm seat. One user wrote on July 20 that they had been "scammed left and right" while trying to score a single ticket. Moderators ban scalp posts, but anonymous accounts often vanish and return.
Face-value $33 Lincoln Square tickets have appeared on eBay with bids starting at $69 and climbing to $1,200 for a July 22 pair. Variety suggested a safer path for New Yorkers: Cinemark Tinseltown Rochester, about a six-hour drive, still had Imax 70mm availability this week—another reminder that catching The Odyssey in 70mm IMAX theaters can mean a journey of its own.