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‘The Odyssey’: Matt Damon talks preparing for this iconic role
‘The Odyssey’ is in theaters Friday, July 17. Matt Damon sat down with Lee Thomas to talk about preparing for the role and how his kids have kept him grounded.
Only 25 theaters in the country are able to show ‘The Odyssey’ in IMAX the way it was filmed – and one of those theaters is here in Michigan.
Some theaters in popular locations like New York and Los Angeles are virtually sold out for weeks.
‘The Odyssey’ movie
Big picture view:
Christopher Nolan’s next film, "The Odyssey," tells the 2,800-year-old story of Odysseus’ homecoming after the Trojan War. Nolan studied many translations and adaptations of the famous poem to write his screenplay.
By the numbers:
The movie has a 172 minute runtime, which is 2 hours and 52 minutes. It’s only slightly shorter than Nolan’s last film, "Oppenheimer," which is partially because IMAX film projectors can’t handle more than three hours.
‘The Odyssey’ IMAX
FILE - General view of a skyscraper billboard above the Sunset Strip promoting the new Christopher Nolan film 'The Odyssey' on July 09, 2026 in West Hollywood, California. (Photo by AaronP/ Bauer-Griffin/GC Images)
The backstory:
"The Odyssey" is the first feature shot entirely on IMAX film, a feat that’s been a career dream of the famed director.
He’s been shooting with IMAX cameras since "The Dark Knight," which opened with a shot in IMAX 70 mm, and technology for IMAX cameras has advanced over the years to allow for a full movie now. Before, the equipment was too loud for dialogue heavy scenes.
Dig deeper:
The movie is showing in several other formats besides the rare IMAX 70 mm.
What is IMAX 70 mm?
Dig deeper:
IMAX 70 mm is the largest and highest-resolution format available and gives an unparalleled sense of immersion as the image fills IMAX’s signature floor-to-ceiling screen, according to the film’s website.
You can read more about the movie’s other formats and compare viewings on the site here.
What they're saying:
Nolan himself has said "the best possible experience" is the IMAX 70 mm presentations.
Michigan theaters
Local perspective:
The only theater in Michigan that will show the film in IMAX 70 mm is a Celebration! in Grand Rapids.
Theaters in metro Detroit that have other IMAX screens include:
- MJR Troy Cinema
- AMC Forum 17
- AMC Livonia 20
- AMC Star Great Lakes 25
- MJR Southgate Digital Cinema 20
- Cinemark Ann Arbor 20 and IMAX
You can see which theaters offer which format on the movie’s site. Other formats include IMAX digital, 35 mm, Dolby Cinema and more.
Big picture view:
The other states across the country that have theaters and are able to show the film in IMAX 70 mm include Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Nevada, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Tennessee and Texas.
The Source: Information in this article was taken from The Associated Press and "The Odyssey" movie website.