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Image via X/@arkavxThe Odyssey is facing criticism from Gen Z, who are complaining that the film’s IMAX 70mm format creates an elitist viewing experience — with audiences unable to access premium screenings likely seeing a version of the movie with fewer visible details.
Christopher Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s Odyssey has made cinematic history as the first major Hollywood feature to be shot entirely using IMAX film cameras. Over the past month, Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway and Nolan have been unwavering in their message: The Odyssey was made for IMAX 70mm, and audiences should experience it in the format for which it was created.
The problem is that Nolan’s preferred 70mm format is not accessible for everyone, with only 41 theaters in the entire world showing the large-format film projection.
Only 40 cinemas on EARTH could show what NOLAN actually filmed. pic.twitter.com/WzZ2Gd2tb3
— The Cinéprism (@TheCineprism) July 14, 2026
The limited availability of IMAX 70mm screens has sparked complaints on social media, with some viewers pointing to the visual differences between IMAX 70mm screenings and standard presentations, which may use cropped versions of the film. Some have argued that the scarcity of the format creates an economic and geographic divide, meaning access to what they describe as Nolan’s intended viewing experience depends partly on where audiences live and what they can afford. For example, IMAX Melbourne in Australia is the only cinema in the Southern Hemisphere showing the 15-perforation, 70mm film.
The Odyssey in IMAX vs. regular screens.
So much of the film is lost on a regular screen.
Nolan did a disservice to the majority of viewers who don't have access to IMAX. pic.twitter.com/Mear5YNIfe
— ︎ ︎venom (@venom1s) July 17, 2026
“F**k it, filming in a format that only ~40 cinemas across the world can fully display is anti-art,” a social media user writes in a viral post on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter).
Another individual shared an image comparing The Odyssey on different formats, writing: “This isn’t fair…Only a few people will get to experience Nolan’s true vision.”
The Odyssey is a movie where poor people literally see less pic.twitter.com/Yy6LNymGpY
— Arkav (@arkavx) July 15, 2026
The debate has also taken on a class dimension, with some social media users arguing that audiences without the financial means or nearby access to IMAX theaters — particularly those in smaller cities and towns — are unable to experience the film in the same way.
The Odyssey in regular 35mm vs. IMAX 70mm 😭
This isn’t fair 💔… Only a few people will get to experience Nolan’s true vision. pic.twitter.com/gVOg6oqGeh
— Cinema Rhymes 🎬 (@CinemaRhymes) July 15, 2026
In one post that amassed more than 26 million views on X, user @arkavx writes: “The Odyssey is a movie where poor people literally see less.”
Another user writes: “So much of the film is lost on a regular screen. Nolan did a disservice to the majority of viewers who don’t have access to IMAX.”
While most major cities in the Western world have a digital IMAX screen with an aspect ratio of 1.90:1 (still less screen than IMAX 70mm’s 1.43:1), 70mm projectors are far less common and largely found in much older theaters. And then there’s the added challenge of actually finding someone capable of operating the huge IMAX reels.
Last week, IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond explained to Variety why adding more Imax 70mm screens isn’t that simple despite the overwhelming demand for such screenings.
“There’s certainly more demand. The problem is they haven’t made new IMAX film projectors in about 50 years,” Gelfond says. “So we retrofit them, rebuild them and part of our strategy is to see how far we can take it. But certainly, demand-driven, I’d like to see more.”
Additional reporting by Matt Growcoot
English (US) ·