Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey', one of the most anticipated films in recent times, is only a few hours away from its theatrical release on Friday. The Academy Award-winning director enjoys a huge fan frenzy among Indian moviegoers. Soon after the advance booking for the film’s tickets was opened, premium IMAX shows were sold out within hours, forcing exhibitors to add extra shows in several cities to meet the demand.

Despite the excitement among the Nolan fans, Indian audiences won’t be able to experience the film the way Nolan intended. Reason you ask? Because, while the country has several IMAX theatres, it doesn't have a single operational IMAX 70mm screen, the rare format that delivers Nolan's intended visual scale and image quality.

So, what makes IMAX 70mm so special, and why will its absence in India make the moviegoers here miss out on the experience he aims to deliver? In this article, we explain to you all about the format and what India will actually get to witness.

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What is IMAX 70mm?

The IMAX 70mm, which is also known as 15/70 IMAX films, is said to be the highest-resolution film format which is used for commercial cinema. Unlike the standard 70mm film, the IMAX 70mm-wide film runs horizontally. It also has 15 perforations (or sprocket holes), which are found to be five in the standard film, making IMAX 70mm deliver an image that’s larger than the standard film size of 35mm or 70mm. Compared to the standard film size, IMAX 70mm has a three times larger image area. To understand it better, think of it this way - while watching from a standard 35mm or 70mm film may give you the view as if you’re watching from a window. However, with the IMAX 70mm, it feels as if you’re standing right in the middle of the scene. In short, IMAX 70mm means more detail, better dynamic range, richer colours, and of course, a great sense of scale.

Why is Nolan pushing it to watch ‘The Odyssey’ in his desired format?

Nolan has been championing the immersive IMAX 70mm format for a while now. Even before ‘The Odyssey’, Nolan used IMAX cameras to shoot his previous films, namely: ‘The Dark Knight’, ‘Dunkirk’, ‘Tenet’, and his last release, ‘Oppenheimer’. With time, the IMAX cameras have become synonymous with Nolan’s cinematic vision. Previously, Nolan used IMAX cameras to shoot key sequences. However, with ‘The Odyssey’, he shot the film entirely on IMAX. Reason being these cameras capture a much larger and more detailed image than conventional cameras do, and in return, the viewers get an immersive experience. These cameras make every landscape, every frame, and every action sequence appear grander, sharper, and bigger.

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Do India’s IMAX theaters support Nolan’s format entirely?

Even though India has numerous IMAX screens in cities such as Mumbai, New Delhi, Bengaluru, ect, unfortunately, the country has yet to have an IMAX 70mm screen so far. Presently, almost all of India's IMAX screens are digital IMAX laser or xenon screens.

The digital IMAT format that India has has a digital projection with excellent quality. They are easier to install and are common worldwide. On the contrary, the IMAX 70mm comes with physical film and the highest possible quality. IMAX 70mm is extremely expensive and very rare - about 40 in cities such as London, Melbourne, New York, Los Angeles, and Toronto, among others. Interestingly, there are many cinephiles who choose to fly abroad to be able to watch Nolan's work in the 15/70 format.

Will India miss out on the Nolan experience?

No! India will not miss out on the Nolan experience, but it may not be the original representation that Nolan photographed. However, ‘The Odyssey’ will still be released in IMAX theaters across the country, meaning viewers can watch it in the digital IMAX or IMAX laser projection format.

Also, those Indian cities that may not have IMAX theaters can still enjoy the grandeur of Nolan’s artwork through the formats available at the cinema halls near them, since Nolan’s work isn’t restricted to IMAX 70mm format only, but the storytelling, his larger-than-life characters, and, of course, his vision.

So, whether you have an IMAX theater near you or not, watching ‘The Odyssey’ in cinema halls is still a great experience, and one that you shouldn’t miss.