In the quiet hours past midnight, the usually bustling Arizona Mills mall in Tempe falls silent. The stores have closed, and the Harkins movie theater lobby stands empty.
Yet, when the IMAX lobby doors swing open, a wave of eager moviegoers emerges, having just finished watching Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” in 70 mm, a sold-out spectacle.
“It was the only time we could find,” remarked Jerome King.
He and his wife Nadia, newlyweds, were among the audience attending the early morning 1:30 a.m. screening.
While most people are asleep at this hour, for the Kings, it was the only available slot at Arizona Mills’ IMAX.
“You get the full picture, you get the full scope of what’s going on in the movie and the way they shot it, too,” Nadia King expressed.
Arizona Mills stands out as one of only 25 theaters in the U.S. equipped with an IMAX 70 mm projector. “The Odyssey” is notably the first film entirely shot using IMAX cameras.
“I feel like since we’re close enough to one, you might as well go see it if you’re gonna see the movie at all,” Jerome King stated.
Others, like Suede Rondon, share this sentiment, eager to experience the film in its intended format. While Rondon managed to secure multiple tickets, many others were not as fortunate.
“Today, some of my coworkers are trying to get tickets because I was talking about it. I was so hyped about it,” Rondon shared. “And so we were all looking and we looked at, I think, three weeks into August, and there’s no tickets.”
Fans globally face the same challenge, with IMAX 70 mm shows selling out into September.
While Rondon is captivated by Nolan’s work and the mythological themes, for others like Dominic Sobieski, it’s more about the viewing experience.
“Dude, I have no idea what I’m getting into. I haven’t even seen the trailer,” Sobieski admitted.
The pull of the IMAX format is undeniable.
“I’m seeing everywhere online that we got to watch this movie the way it was meant to be watched,” Sobieski noted.
The 70 mm IMAX screen towers at six stories. Viewing the film in other theaters, even other IMAX locations in Arizona, would mean losing part of the frame.
“I think the reason that this is sold out tonight at 1:30 a.m., people know that there’s a difference. They know that they’re missing out if they’re not seeing it this way,” Sobieski emphasized.
Tickets for the IMAX screenings of “The Odyssey” were released a year in advance, prompting Arizona Mills to add more showings to satisfy demand.
Harkins spokesperson Jessica Reeves highlighted the broad attraction, saying, “They’re coming from all over the country, we have people flying in just to see it at the biggest screens at Harkins.”
The film has grossed $140 million worldwide through IMAX, with total earnings reaching up to $650 million across all formats.
“It just keeps going up,” commented Bill Goodykoontz, media critic for the Arizona Republic, predicting the film might hit a billion dollars in revenue.
Goodykoontz is an avid supporter of the film, especially in the IMAX 70 mm format, appreciating the communal experience it provides.
“Media has become so fragmented. Thursday night TV used to be a big thing,” Goodykoontz reflected. “And then Friday everybody would talk ‘Oh I can’t believe what they did on ‘’Seinfeld’ last night.’ ‘Can you believe what happened on ‘Friends’ last night?’ People don’t experience media in that way anymore.”
Nevertheless, Goodykoontz believes that even without the IMAX experience, the film is worth watching.
“It’s how Nolan, the director Christopher Nolan, intended for people to see the movie,” he stated. “But I’ll tell you this, I saw it two days later in a regular theater and it’s still great.”
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