In an unprecedented move that stunned film enthusiasts, tickets for Christopher Nolan’s much-anticipated epic The Odyssey sold out in under three minutes after they went live—despite the film being a full year away from its official release. The film, based on Homer’s classic Greek epic, is scheduled to hit theatres on July 17, 2026, but eager fans didn’t wait to secure their seats.
To mark the one-year countdown, IMAX opened advance ticket sales for select theatres across the globe including cities like New York, Los Angeles, San Francisco, London, Melbourne, and Prague. The response was overwhelming. Within moments of the sale going live, venues in cities such as Los Angeles and New York reported complete sellouts, making this one of the fastest pre-release ticket sales in cinematic history.
Social media platforms lit up with excitement and frustration as fans shared screenshots and videos of the rapid sell-out. One user posted on X (formerly Twitter), “It’s been just three minutes and the Odyssey IMAX 70MM show at Universal City Walk is nearly gone!” Another user reported that tickets for Lincoln Square Theatre in New York were gone in under three minutes. Several Los Angeles theatres experienced even faster demand, with all showtimes sold out in less than sixty seconds.
IMAX had earlier shared a list of participating theatres, including 14 cities in the United States and four in Canada. The exclusive early bird release was also extended to select IMAX screens internationally, showcasing the global anticipation surrounding Nolan’s latest cinematic venture.
The film features Matt Damon as Odysseus, the legendary king of Ithaca, while Tom Holland plays his son Telemachus. The impressive ensemble cast includes Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Lupita Nyong’o, Robert Pattinson, Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, John Leguizamo, and Elliot Page. The Odyssey will depict the perilous journey of Odysseus as he navigates mythical obstacles on his return from the Trojan War.
With excitement building and pre-sale tickets already history, The Odyssey is set to be another monumental achievement in Nolan’s storied career, promising a spectacular blend of mythology, action, and immersive IMAX storytelling.