Tickets for Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey at the BFI IMAX in London are being resold for exorbitant prices on eBay, with one listing offering two tickets for £255.50. The BFI has issued a strict warning that tickets resold for more than 20% above face value may be cancelled.
Resale listings and BFI policy
As of Monday, July 27, a live eBay listing offered two tickets for the 8:30pm screening on Sunday, August 30, with a current winning bid of £255.50. The seller described the seats as "Row M best viewing distance." Another listing offered two tickets for £208.70 as a "buy it now" price for an 8:15am screening in Row J, though the date was not specified.
BFI's resale policy states: "Tickets may not be resold for higher than 20 per cent above the face value displayed, and any such action may result in cancellation of the original booking by the BFI." The face value of a standard BFI IMAX ticket is approximately £26, meaning resale prices above £31.20 per ticket violate policy.
Unprecedented demand for BFI IMAX
The BFI IMAX at Waterloo is one of the few screens globally capable of showing the full 1.43:1 IMAX image for The Odyssey, which was shot entirely with IMAX film cameras. This has driven extraordinary demand, with fans reportedly traveling from Singapore, Los Angeles, and Toronto specifically to see the film there. As of Monday, July 27, screenings are sold out until September 10, except for a single seat at the 12:30pm screening on Tuesday, July 28, available for £26.
The Odyssey shattered box office records with a $264 million (£198.2 million) opening weekend, becoming a global phenomenon. The film also broke the BFI IMAX presale record, generating £750,000 in gross revenue from 28,000 tickets sold in the first 24 hours, surpassing Dune: Part Two (£366,000) and Oppenheimer (£254,000).
Alternative screenings and future dates
London's Science Museum (The Ronson Theatre) still has some tickets available, with matinee showings from Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28. September dates include September 4, 8, 10, 12, and 13, though the programme is incomplete. A source suggested further showings may be added in the coming week.
There is speculation that additional BFI IMAX screenings will be announced soon. New dates will be posted on the BFI website. The film stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron.
