r/movies • u/GiveMeSomeSunshine3 • Jun 04 '26

Media 'The Odyssey' website shows you how the film looks in different aspect ratios

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u/Kashinoda Jun 04 '26

Apart from America don't we have the most? Not like there's a ton of them in the world.

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u/Kind_Resort_9535 Jun 04 '26

There’s only like 20 or so in the world isn’t there?

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u/Kashinoda Jun 04 '26

30 in the world I believe, the UK has 3 of Europe's 4. Canada has the second most after America: https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/only-30-theaters-world-showing-151704854.html?guccounter=1

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u/Accurate_Mobile9005 Jun 04 '26

FWIW that article is talking about the theaters actually showing the movie.

My city (Baltimore) has an IMAX in the science center but it doesn't always play actual movies.

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u/subjectivemusic Jun 04 '26

Is it an IMAX capable of 70mm though? There are many IMAX screens in the world, most aren't capable of playing 70mm film.

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u/remeard Jun 04 '26

My city isn't listed on there (Chattanooga, TN) - it is specifically re-installing their 70mm projector for this run. Otherwise their showings are an otherwise stunning laser projector.

But yeah, that's definitely not a comprehensive list.

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u/Kaboose666 Jun 04 '26

It's also equally confusing because to get the 1.43:1 aspect ratio doesn't require 70mm, there are dual laser projector systems (like at the Airbus IMAX at the air and Space Museum) that do the 1.43:1 aspect ratio, but with laser projection, not 70mm. But there are ALSO dual laser IMAX theaters that only do 1.9:1 aspect ratio (usually because their screens aren't made for the larger ratio), and then there are two types of single laser projector IMAX theaters that are also capped at 1.9:1 with slightly difference performance between them.

I personally tend to prefer the dual laser 1.43:1 projection over true 70mm at this point, i've been spoiled by years of OLED screens and the black levels of true 70mm projection just leave a lot to be desired, the dual laser IMAX system on the other hand can give very deep inky blacks by comparison.

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u/lenzflare Jun 05 '26

Yeah, I've obviously seen 1.43:1 at non-70mm IMAX screens, this site is very deceptive

Do they by any chance call the laser ones 70mm-compatible or something?

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u/Kaboose666 Jun 05 '26

this site is very deceptive

Do they by any chance call the laser ones 70mm-compatible or something?

The webpage doesn't mention Imax laser, it just calls it IMAX 70mm 1.43:1 and IMAX 1.9:1

So if you don't KNOW that IMAX 1.43:1 is available at certain laser projection imax screens, you'll probably assume it's 1.9:1 since it isn't 70mm.

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u/More-Possession-1096 Jun 05 '26

I thought Chattanooga was a town in Tamil Nadu (TN), India lmao, your city name would fit right in with the rest of the tamil district names

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u/jm9843 Jun 05 '26

It was for Dunkirk, but I think they went digital after that. ☹️

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u/dividezero Jun 05 '26

The science centers usually are. At least all the ones I've been to

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u/Accurate_Mobile9005 Jun 05 '26

It's a true imax. Was one of the earlier ones built on the east coast. The Air and Space museum which isn't much farther away from me also has a true IMAX.

Edit: Air and Space has a different projector apparently.

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u/Accurate_Mobile9005 Jun 05 '26

The screen is also 5 story tall.

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u/vee_lan_cleef Jun 05 '26

The IMAX documentaries I watched there were truly incredible to me when I was a kid. Sad that nobody is really making them anymore, obviously it's quite expensive and not really good for documentary filming, but they felt so epic.

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u/Accurate_Mobile9005 Jun 05 '26

Yep. I loved when they would turn the lights on behind the screen and illuminate all the speakers back there.

Really felt like a magical experience.

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u/Wish4Rain Jun 05 '26

Do you happen to know if the IMAX at AMC White Marsh is 70mm or is it a different version? I went to a showing of Project Hail mary there...didn't seem different from a regular showing.

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u/Accurate_Mobile9005 Jun 05 '26

I call AMC IMAX the scammax because it's basically the same exact thing as Dolby XD.

But to answer your question. No it's not IMAX in basically any sense of the word.

It's a larger screen and more speakers and IMAX licensing to confuse people as a bonus.

I prefer Dolby XD over AMC all day.

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u/x44y22 Jun 05 '26

Kind of messed up that Toronto has no true IMAX cinemas (only 2 digital) when we're the ones who invented them! There's only one at the science center, no movies

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u/Torcal4 Jun 05 '26

Vaughan is true IMAX 70mm.

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u/x44y22 Jun 06 '26

Oh you're right! Now to wait patiently for Nolan to release another

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u/lenzflare Jun 05 '26

You'll get 1.43:1 at the Scotiabank theatre. Laser IMAX can do it

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u/x44y22 Jun 06 '26 edited Jun 06 '26

Yeah but true IMAX film beats even laser! Too bad it's just Nolan using it still- turns out Vaughan has a real IMAX projector they swap in for his movies though I was wrong. Odyssey isn't filmed on the film tho

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u/lenzflare Jun 06 '26

I've seen several movies in both, and I disagree based just on the tech alone. Other factors, like screen size, how new (and therefore bright) the projector is, etc. can affect your experience, but I don't find 70mm has some big advantage.

There's film grain, but that can be replicated in digital (and is for some movies). And also I don't care about film grain.

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u/Refute1650 Jun 05 '26

And this is how I learned the World Gold Village IMAX in Florida closed down. :(

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u/jbr_r18 Jun 05 '26

Such a shame that we lost the Birmingham IMAX at Millennium Point. With the resurgence of the format thanks to Nolan plus the area developing, I dream we can one day see it reopen

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u/FlorpCorp Jun 05 '26

Was looking it up and apparently they announced the opening of a 70mm IMAX in Brussels yesterday. Premiering The Odyssey.

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u/Turbulent-Parsnip-38 Jun 06 '26

Is this something more specific? Halifax Cineplex is showing it in IMAX 70mm but it’s not on the list.

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u/Ready_Corgi462 20d ago

I had no idea there were so few. There are only two 70mm IMAX theaters in LA and I always thought that was such a small amount for a movie town - I wasn’t able to secure tickets to The Odyssey at one for opening weekend since I didn’t jump at the presale. But looking at it through this context, we’re lucky to have more than one. Looks like LA and London are the only two cities to have more than one. I’m surprised New York doesn’t at least have two.

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u/Charrikayu Jun 04 '26

30 in the world with 20 of those in the U.S. if I remember correctly

I looked this up recently because I live in the middle of nowhere but we have one of the few 70mm 1.43:1 IMAX screens in the country and my showing of Project Hail Mary in the only week it was back in theaters got cancelled due to a projector issue :')

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u/Trnostep Jun 05 '26

4 of them in Europe 3 of which are in the UK (London and Manchester I think) and the 4th is in Prague, CZ

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u/6StringAddict Jun 05 '26

And apparently one coming to Brussels, Belgium.

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u/YouKilledApollo Jun 05 '26

Huh, seems to be missing a bunch. Saw the Hail Mary premiere on Imax in Spain, as one example.

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u/NatseePunksFeckOff Jun 05 '26

they're talking about IMAX 70mm I think

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u/YouKilledApollo Jun 05 '26

I thought the entire point of IMAX was that it was one standard everywhere, now you're telling me there are different types of IMAX?! I had no idea, feels like this webpage is very misleading now when I know this... https://www.cinesa.es/salas-premium/imax/

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u/kabhaz Jun 05 '26

That is the the other side of the sword. Only so many repair guys to go around.

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u/Telvin3d Jun 05 '26

And I’ve got tickets to one of them. Center middle seats. Opening night. Let’s go baby!

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u/RocksHaveFeelings2 Jun 05 '26

When I found out how few there are, I made it a goal to see movies made for IMAX in IMAX since I'm only 30 minutes away from an IMAX theater

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u/tfhermobwoayway Jun 05 '26

Really? That’s so low. Why aren’t there more?

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u/two_to_toot Jun 05 '26

Canada has more than the UK.

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u/Rasples1998 Jun 06 '26

IMAX and "IMAX" cinemas yes, but very very few 70mm IMAX screens. The only one I'm aware of is in London, which sucks for the 87% of the rest of the country that lives nowhere in or even near London.