Legendary filmmaker Christopher Nolan’s upcoming movie The Odyssey is breaking records before it has even hit screens, as the director plans to use only IMAX cameras on set.
The Odyssey will be the first blockbuster in history to be exclusively shot on IMAX film cameras, per The Hollywood Reporter. This is quite the feat, as IMAX film cameras are notoriously hard to work with due to them being big and loud, unlike the much lighter digital IMAX cameras.
It's no secret that Nolan is a big fan of both IMAX cameras and the big-screen format. The director has opted to present many of his past films, including Interstellar and The Dark Knight films, on a larger screen. His 2023 film Oppenheimer was shot with a mix of IMAX 65mm cameras and large-format film photography. The Cillian Murphy starrer went on to win seven Academy Awards, including Best Picture.
If you’re not already familiar with IMAX, you may be wondering what an IMAX film camera actually is, and what it can do. IMAX’s 15/70 film cameras use frames 15 perforations wide and 70 mm in height, which creates a larger image, allowing a higher resolution (approximately 18K) and higher quality viewing experience. There are only eight 15/70 IMAX film cameras in existence, and they cannot be sold.
But it sounds as though Nolan will be using the newer version of the film cameras, after the director pushed the company to improve on the devices. IMAX’s new film cameras, which have been reserved for Nolan’s The Odyssey, are reportedly 30 percent quieter and much lighter. After The Odyssey wraps, IMAX will begin renting the cameras out to other directors.
Starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, Nolan’s The Odyssey is based on Homer's epic ancient Greek poem of the same name, following hero King Odysseus of Ithaca as he journeys home from Troy, following the decade-long Trojan War. But there is a lot of content for Nolan to pick through as Odysseus’ journey takes over 10 years, where he encounters several monsters, all while his family struggles at home.
Nolan’s upcoming epic also stars Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong'o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Mia Goth, and more.
The Odyssey is set to hit theaters on July 17, 2026. For more, check out our roundup of the best Christopher Nolan movies, or keep up with upcoming movies heading your way in 2025.
