Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' to be released in IMAX 15/70mm format, where can you see it in India?
Nolan fans have already begun planning trips across countries to watch the film in its intended format, making it one of the rarest theatrical experiences in recent years
- Jul 15, 2026,
- Updated Jul 15, 2026 11:12 AM IST
Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic The Odyssey is already making history before its release. The Academy Award-winning filmmaker has become the first director to shoot an entire feature film using IMAX 15/70mm film cameras, a format widely regarded as the gold standard of cinematic presentation.
However, while audiences in several countries will be able to experience the film exactly as Nolan intended, movie lovers in India will miss out on its highest-quality version.
Why won't India get the full experience?
Although IMAX has expanded rapidly across India, none of the country's IMAX screens supports 15/70mm film projection. India currently has around 35 IMAX theatres across cities, including Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Kochi. However, these theatres operate using Digital IMAX or IMAX with Laser systems.
READ THIS: 'The Odyssey' box office prediction day 1: Christopher Nolan-directorial to top ₹20 crore in India
These formats still provide premium picture quality and immersive sound, but cannot project 70mm IMAX film or display the complete 1.43:1 image that Nolan designed for The Odyssey. As a result, Indian audiences will watch a digitally projected version rather than the original film presentation.
What is IMAX 15/70?
The name "15/70" refers to 70mm film running horizontally with 15 perforations per frame, creating an image that is nearly ten times larger than standard 35mm film. The result is extraordinary sharpness, richer colours, deeper contrast and a massive 1.43:1 aspect ratio that fills giant IMAX screens from top to bottom.
The format is capable of displaying significantly more detail than standard cinema formats, which is why filmmakers like Christopher Nolan have championed it for years in films such as The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Dunkirk, Tenet and Oppenheimer. With The Odyssey, Nolan has taken it a step further by filming the entire movie using IMAX film cameras.
According to Nolan, IMAX 1570 delivers a level of detail equivalent to roughly 18K resolution, far exceeding conventional digital cinema. The experience is so immersive that many filmmakers describe it as feeling almost three-dimensional without requiring 3D glasses.
Only 41 theatres worldwide
Only 41 theatres globally are equipped with working IMAX 15/70mm film projectors capable of screening The Odyssey in its highest resolution. These theatres are located primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and a handful of European countries.
Because of the limited number of venues, Nolan fans have already begun planning trips across countries to watch the film in its intended format, making it one of the rarest theatrical experiences in recent years.
IMAX for Indian audience
Indian audiences will still be able to enjoy The Odyssey on IMAX screens when it releases. The country's IMAX Laser theatres offer brighter images, sharper digital projection and powerful multi-channel sound, making them among the best premium cinema options available.
However, cinephiles hoping to experience the film exactly as Christopher Nolan envisioned will have to travel overseas to one of the 41 theatres capable of projecting IMAX 15/70mm film.
Christopher Nolan's upcoming epic The Odyssey is already making history before its release. The Academy Award-winning filmmaker has become the first director to shoot an entire feature film using IMAX 15/70mm film cameras, a format widely regarded as the gold standard of cinematic presentation.
However, while audiences in several countries will be able to experience the film exactly as Nolan intended, movie lovers in India will miss out on its highest-quality version.
Why won't India get the full experience?
Although IMAX has expanded rapidly across India, none of the country's IMAX screens supports 15/70mm film projection. India currently has around 35 IMAX theatres across cities, including Mumbai, Delhi-NCR, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chennai, Pune, Ahmedabad and Kochi. However, these theatres operate using Digital IMAX or IMAX with Laser systems.
READ THIS: 'The Odyssey' box office prediction day 1: Christopher Nolan-directorial to top ₹20 crore in India
These formats still provide premium picture quality and immersive sound, but cannot project 70mm IMAX film or display the complete 1.43:1 image that Nolan designed for The Odyssey. As a result, Indian audiences will watch a digitally projected version rather than the original film presentation.
What is IMAX 15/70?
The name "15/70" refers to 70mm film running horizontally with 15 perforations per frame, creating an image that is nearly ten times larger than standard 35mm film. The result is extraordinary sharpness, richer colours, deeper contrast and a massive 1.43:1 aspect ratio that fills giant IMAX screens from top to bottom.
The format is capable of displaying significantly more detail than standard cinema formats, which is why filmmakers like Christopher Nolan have championed it for years in films such as The Dark Knight, Interstellar, Dunkirk, Tenet and Oppenheimer. With The Odyssey, Nolan has taken it a step further by filming the entire movie using IMAX film cameras.
According to Nolan, IMAX 1570 delivers a level of detail equivalent to roughly 18K resolution, far exceeding conventional digital cinema. The experience is so immersive that many filmmakers describe it as feeling almost three-dimensional without requiring 3D glasses.
Only 41 theatres worldwide
Only 41 theatres globally are equipped with working IMAX 15/70mm film projectors capable of screening The Odyssey in its highest resolution. These theatres are located primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia and a handful of European countries.
Because of the limited number of venues, Nolan fans have already begun planning trips across countries to watch the film in its intended format, making it one of the rarest theatrical experiences in recent years.
IMAX for Indian audience
Indian audiences will still be able to enjoy The Odyssey on IMAX screens when it releases. The country's IMAX Laser theatres offer brighter images, sharper digital projection and powerful multi-channel sound, making them among the best premium cinema options available.
However, cinephiles hoping to experience the film exactly as Christopher Nolan envisioned will have to travel overseas to one of the 41 theatres capable of projecting IMAX 15/70mm film.