Imax 70mm Odyssey screenings drive 81% ticket premium, 900-mile pilgrimages
Key Points
- Adult Imax 70mm tickets for opening weekend cost $27.77, 81% more than average admission according to EntTelligence
- Only 25 U.S. theaters and 16 international locations offer the format, with Imax CEO Richard Gelfond calling it among the hottest tickets globally
- Demand so extreme that early morning showtimes sell out; Indiana State Museum's sole 70mm theater added August run due to historic demand
Supply constraints severely limit the screening count. Imax lists 25 theaters across the U.S. and an additional 16 internationally with 70mm presentations of "The Odyssey." Only theaters equipped with high-cost machinery necessary to project gigantic rolls of 70mm film can show the format. "We could have more of them and we're exploring ways to do that, but in a way, it's like a Rolls-Royce," Gelfond said. "There are a finite number of locations that really can support the economics of it."
"The Odyssey" marks the first feature film shot entirely with Imax 70mm cameras, distinguishing it from prior productions that used the format selectively. The Indiana State Museum's 70mm theater—the only facility running this format in Indiana—added an additional one-week run in August due to "historic" demand. Theater manager Neale Johantgen reported that more than half of audience members on the first days of showings traveled at least 50 miles, with visitors from more than 20 states and ticket requests from Switzerland.
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Competing theater chains confirm the surge. Cinemark told CNBC that demand for its Imax 70mm showings in Colorado and Texas is "exceptionally strong." Regal said the nearly three-hour picture became the chain's top Imax 70mm-displayed movie.
Ticket availability has become scarce. Some theaters put Imax 70mm tickets on sale a year in advance. Showtimes in the early hours of the morning are booking out. Twenty-six-year-old IT administrator Ashton Jones secured seats in a 3 a.m. showtime for Georgia's sole Imax 70mm theater, consuming a Red Bull energy drink during the film's midpoint to remain alert before his workday.
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Gelfond stated Imax 70mm screenings of "The Odyssey" will run for months. The scarcity of available screens means demand will likely outpace supply throughout the film's theatrical run, keeping ticket prices and per-screen revenue elevated compared to standard formats.
Market Outlook
With only 41 total Imax 70mm screens globally and demand exceeding supply at early showtimes, per-screen revenue for "The Odyssey" will remain significantly above the $153,000 opening weekend average. Gelfond's commitment to multi-month 70mm runs suggests sustained box office concentration in premium formats, though limited theater availability will prevent widespread expansion of the format despite consumer demand.
Sources: CNBC and other international news outlets.
Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only. Content is based on publicly available news sources.
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