‘The Odyssey’ Breaks BFI IMAX Queue Again With New 70mm Ticket Releases

Christopher Nolan’s latest epic continues to ignite excitement among fans, and this week provided yet another reason for them to set alarms and refresh their browser tabs. While a certain webslinger is dominating theaters nationwide, ‘The Odyssey’ is still capturing significant attention online.

This buzz is largely due to a specific venue that has become the epicenter of the film’s fervent theatrical demand. London’s BFI IMAX has been transforming ticket releases into major events, complete with sold-out shows and eager online queues.

The latest chapter unfolded on July 31, when a new batch of 70mm IMAX screenings went on sale, triggering a queue of over 21,000 eager fans attempting to secure tickets. Estimated wait times on the booking site exceeded an hour, with fans anxiously watching their position in line tick down at a painfully slow pace while trying to secure a seat.

This scene has become almost routine. The BFI IMAX has already sold out all 173 of its 70mm IMAX screenings scheduled for August and September, with each newly announced batch of showtimes disappearing within hours of going live.

The venue confirmed this latest expansion directly. On July 30, the BFI IMAX announced it had added seven additional screenings of ‘The Odyssey’ in 70mm IMAX, with tickets going live for booking the following afternoon, which explains the surge in the queue fans experienced.

This isn’t the first time the site has struggled under demand. Just weeks earlier, over 25,000 people were queuing for tickets minutes after a previous sale went live, a surge significant enough to leave the booking platform overwhelmed.

Fans eager for a seat have expressed their frustrations online. One individual noted they had 15,733 people ahead of them in the queue for additional screenings released at the BFI IMAX, a sentiment echoed across social media as the digital waiting room filled up repeatedly.

The BFI IMAX’s allure lies in its rarity. Only a limited number of venues worldwide can project the film’s full 70mm IMAX format, and some fans have reportedly traveled from as far as Singapore, Los Angeles, and Toronto just to experience it as Nolan intended.

This scarcity has also fueled a resale market well beyond official pricing. Tickets for the format have appeared on secondhand sites for over £500, showcasing just how far some fans are willing to go to avoid missing out entirely.

Nolan has shared his personal connection to the venue, revealing that he met his friend and IMAX mentor, the late David Keighley, at the BFI IMAX during a screening two decades ago. This detail adds sentimental weight to why this London venue has become such a focal point for fan demand.

With more screenings likely to be announced in the coming weeks, the queue chaos shows no signs of abating. For now, fans eager to catch ‘The Odyssey’ as it was meant to be seen will need to keep refreshing and hoping their spot in line comes up before the seats do.

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