Christopher Nolan’s film The Odyssey held its first midnight screening at the BFI Imax in south London, drawing devoted fans from multiple continents who had secured tickets months earlier for the event. The venue, located near Waterloo Bridge, is one of the limited number of cinemas worldwide equipped to project the film in Imax 1570, the highest-resolution film format currently in existence.
Several attendees made significant journeys to witness the screening. Christian Campbell, a 22-year-old from Atlanta, traveled over 4,000 miles and made his first international trip outside the United States specifically for the premiere, having been unable to secure tickets in New York or Georgia. Marco Garbely and two companions journeyed from Switzerland, arriving in London only hours before the midnight showing. Rachana Nettem attended the screening as a stopover between flights from Ireland to Edinburgh, having similarly purchased her ticket a year prior.
The Odyssey marks the first feature film shot entirely on 1570 cameras, which each weigh 180 kilograms. Nolan collaborated with Imax to develop specialized soundproofing equipment to allow dialogue recording on the heavy cameras for the first time in production. The film carries a production budget of $250 million, with box office projections suggesting potential North American opening weekend earnings between $80 million and $100 million.
Review aggregators showed strong critical reception, with the film earning a 99% rating on Rotten Tomatoes at the time of the embargo lift on Wednesday, later settling at 96%. Some audience members expressed initial concerns about the film’s reception, citing negative commentary directed at cast member Lupita Nyong’o’s casting. Attendees demonstrated varying levels of enthusiasm and investment in the director’s work, with some planning repeat viewings within days of the premiere.