Following the record-breaking success of Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, demand for true 70mm 15-perforation IMAX film screenings has reached an all-time high. With tickets selling out months in advance and cinephiles traveling long distances to the roughly 40 locations in North America equipped for 70mm film projection, industry observers have questioned why IMAX isn’t manufacturing more analog projectors to meet demand.
During a recent earnings call, IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond addressed the logistical and financial hurdles that prevent the mass production and installation of additional 70mm film projectors.
The Economic & Logistical Hurdles
While film fans champion the unparalleled resolution and color depth of 70mm IMAX film, Gelfond emphasized that the infrastructure required to support analog film projection is rarely cost-effective for modern multiplexes.
IMAX 70mm Logistics & Requirements:
├── Equipment Costs ──► ~$50,000 per physical film print / projector setup
├── Physical Footprint ──► Massive projection booth expansion required
├── Heavy Logistics ──► Industrial forklifts needed to move 600+ lb film platters
└── Run-Time Mandate ──► Requires multi-month extended theatrical runs to break even
“The economics are very difficult to meet,” Gelfond explained. “It’s very expensive. You need film prints, not only the projector, which costs $50,000 a piece to put in your theater. You need logistics like a forklift to lift them, so you need a very big projection booth. When you get through the numbers of it, there are a finite number of locations that really can support the economics of it.”
Gelfond noted that 70mm film projection only yields a positive return on investment when a film plays at a single location for several consecutive months—a release strategy rarely suited for modern wide-release studio slates.
The Odyssey: The First 100% IMAX-Shot Feature
Despite the technical hurdles, Nolan pushed IMAX to expand its technological limits for his adaptation of Homer’s epic The Odyssey. According to Gelfond, Nolan challenged IMAX engineers to solve key operational and equipment constraints so the entire production could be captured on 15-slot 70mm IMAX film stock.
The result marks the first feature film in cinema history to be shot 100% on analog IMAX film cameras.
| Box Office Metric | The Odyssey Performance |
| Global Opening Weekend | $260 Million |
| Domestic IMAX Share | 53% of total domestic gross |
| 70mm IMAX Availability | ~40 theaters across North America |
Following Nolan’s lead, prominent filmmakers behind upcoming tentpoles such as Sinners and F1 have continued to adopt IMAX cameras, cementing the format’s status as the premium standard for cinematic event releases.