Christopher Nolan's epic film 'The Odyssey' has sold out all 173 showings at the BFI IMAX in Waterloo until September 10, following unprecedented demand. The BFI IMAX, Britain's largest screen, is fully booked for the two-month period.
Alternative IMAX Screenings in London
London's other IMAX cinema, the Ronson Theatre at the Science Museum, still has some tickets available. Matinee showings are available from Monday, August 24 to Friday, August 28, and additional dates include September 4, 8, 10, 12, and 13. The Science Museum's box office indicated that further showings may be added in the coming week. However, the venue is fully booked for July and August.
Cineworld Leicester Square IMAX offers widespread availability with multiple daily screenings over the next few months. While its screen is slightly wider, the BFI IMAX has a much taller screen (1.43:1 aspect ratio), providing a larger overall image and the ability to show the full IMAX format. This makes BFI the definitive choice for the most immersive presentation, but Cineworld Leicester Square remains an excellent alternative with a dual-laser IMAX system.
Box Office Phenomenon
'The Odyssey' has shattered records with a $264 million (£198.2 million) opening weekend. The film has also boosted sales of Homer's epic poem and sparked online debates among scholars and newcomers. The demand has been driven heavily by audiences seeking the IMAX experience.
Across eight weeks, all 173 consecutive IMAX 70mm screenings at the BFI have sold out, with audience members traveling from as far as Singapore, Los Angeles, and Toronto to see the film.
BFI IMAX Programmer's Statement
BFI IMAX programme manager Madeleine Mullett said: "The extraordinary demand for our Imax 70mm presentation of The Odyssey, experienced as intended by the filmmakers, is ultimate proof of the appetite audiences have for cinema at its most authentic."
'The Odyssey', an adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic, stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, the Greek king of Ithaca, on his perilous 10-year journey home after the Trojan War. It is the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX film cameras.
Record-Breaking Presales
The film beat the previous BFI IMAX presale record held by 'Dune: Part Two' (2024), which generated £366,000 in its first 24 hours, and 'Oppenheimer', which took £254,000 over the same period, selling 28,000 tickets and generating £750,000 in gross revenue.
The cast also includes Anne Hathaway, Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. The BFI IMAX is one of only three IMAX 70mm prints in the UK.
