For fans looking to snag a highly-coveted seat to an IMAX showing of “The Odyssey,” the struggle has been way too real. But experts have some tips and tricks to increase moviegoers’ chances to catch the famously sold-out film.
The nearly three-hour film, directed by Christopher Nolan, was released on July 17. Since, many of the showings have been completely booked or only have a few openings left, as fans clamber to see the first movie shot entirely on IMAX 70 millimeter. TODAY.com spoke to several movie and ticket industry experts on why the film has drawn such extreme crowds and if there’s any — literally any — possible way to nab a good seat at an IMAX showing these days.
“This is one of the oldest stories ever told, and it’s being told by a man who is arguably our most important and our biggest director filmmaker working today,” Erik Davis, movie commentator at Fandango, tells TODAY.com. “There’s not many movies during the year where it almost feels like everyone is collectively going to see it, but this is definitely one of those movies.”
As movie fans look to catch a showing of Homer’s work brought to life, here’s what industry experts say about the film and finding those somewhat-elusive tickets.
Why Are Tickets to “The Odyssey” So Hard to Get?
Already, “The Odyssey” has proven itself to be the blockbuster of the summer. According to Universal Pictures, the production company behind the major movie, the project grossed $264.1 million globally in ticket sales its opening weekend.
Experts say that it’s not necessarily a surprise that the film has drawn so much buzz. For starters, the cast — which includes the likes of Matt Damon, Anne Hathaway, Zendaya, Tom Holland and so many more — is stacked, Davis points out. And each star comes with their own fans. Additionally, Davis says that the story itself is not only a highly-acclaimed masterpiece that’s thousands of years old, but it’s also being brought to life in a way that feels revolutionary.
“There’s a feeling that it’s like the modern day version of a film like ‘Lawrence of Arabia,’” Davis says, referencing the critically acclaimed 1962 film, which was largely heralded as one of the best historical epics for its cutting-edge cinematography and rich storytelling. “Everything’s shot on location, everything is real and all of the effects are practical effects.
Davis explains that the confluence of factors “screams, ‘This is the reason why we go to the movies! This is what we’re looking for.’”
There’s also the issue of IMAX venues, says Michael Amouyal, senior director of marketing and partnerships at movie ticketing app Atom Tickets. Because the film is the first to be shot entirely on 70mm IMAX, people want to see it in its intended format, Amouyal explains. But theaters that feature the movie in that format are few and far between — 25 venues across the U.S. to be exact. And people want to witness history, with some driving hours or hitting up the questionable resale market for a chance to see the epic, Amouyal says.
“It’s very clear in the marketing you’ve seen — the national marketing, the TV ads, the posters that are up — that that is very front and center,” Amouyal says of 70mm IMAX. “They’ve gotten people really, really excited about the format … that format specifically is not as available across the country.”
So How the Heck Do You Get Tickets?
However, the experts underscored, it’s not impossible to get tickets — or even good seats. It’s all about where you look. For starters, Amouyal says that many of the extra crowded or sold-out showings are the ones that are done in premium, large formats (PFL), where everything is bigger, louder and bolder. Though tickets to primetime showings on weekends in other formats are also in high demand, there is a higher chance that people can snag some seats.
“Some people don’t have any of those premium format theaters within an hour of their home, so they can still go and find tickets for the film at laser or other standard projection formats,” Amouyal says. “It still captures the scale and the vision of the film.”
He adds, laughing, that “your ears may not be ringing afterwards, but some people don’t necessarily need that.”
For those determined to experience the film on IMAX, not all hope is lost. If you weren’t lucky enough to snatch a ticket during the very limited presale last year or the more recent June 4 presale for PLF showings, some experts recommend checking for seats closer to showtime. Keith Pagello, founder of ticketing data and price history site TicketData, says that when it comes to purchasing tickets from movie theater sites, “refresh, refresh, refresh, refresh again.”
The sweet spot, Pagello says, is generally around 24 hours before showtime and again around one to two hours prior to the desired showing. Aspiring moviegoers might just get lucky.
“AMC allows refunds based on any ticket. So I think what you’re seeing is that a lot of people, when the second tickets went on sale, just bought maybe four tickets even though they only had two people that were intending to go,” Pagello says. “Then the show’s approaching and they actually only need two tickets.”
For every show, he adds, there’s generally a handful of tickets that are released at one point or another because of canceled purchases. In other cases, theaters may have inventory that they had held back and reserved for different individuals, who may no longer be able to attend, he says. As tedious as it is, “just keep refreshing,” Pagello says.
Davis explains that fans will also have better luck with IMAX showings outside of primetime viewing hours. Late night screenings, for example, in addition to early or weeknight screenings have a chance as well, he says. But it’s important to remember that the film is still in its first few weekends of showings and that seats will open up as time goes on.
However, if you’re itching to see the film now, Davis encourages viewers to stay open-minded when it comes to seating. If a spot toward the front of the theater opens up for a 70mm IMAX showing, for example, take it!
“What’s interesting with IMAX 70 millimeter screens is that because the screen is so large, the seats really are set back,” Davis says. “I myself sat in row C for IMAX 70 screening of ‘The Odyssey’ in New York. It was great, and I had no problem and it didn’t feel like I was too close to the screen.”
Beware of Scammers
Because of the competition for tickets, particularly for 70mm IMAX showings, people have resorted to unorthodox ways to see the film, sometimes falling prey to scalpers and scammers. A moderator for subreddit r/NYCmovies told Variety that they’ve noticed alarming behavior from those looking to get the best of some enthusiastic cinephiles.
“The worst thing are users pretending to have tickets they don’t have at all. Again, once reported, we ban, but they often just make new accounts,” the moderator told the outlet. “We are warning people to be careful and check post history, get proof of tickets, if possible do an in-person exchange (if you print the ticket on a kiosk you know you have a legit ticket that can no longer be double sold or refunded), and if you do an online transaction, turn on PayPal’s Goods & Services protection feature.”
Pagello warns fans to stay away from any Craigslist listings, claiming to offer tickets, or social media posts.
“I would definitely suggest a lot of hesitancy if somebody’s thinking about doing that, or flat out just say that it’s probably not something that you should be doing,” Pagello says. “You’re probably better off to keep refreshing and try to buy directly from the theater.”
Just Because You Can’t Get in Now, Doesn’t Mean You’ll Never Be Able to See the Film in Theaters
There’s one particular upside to the film’s popularity, experts explain. With the outpouring of demand, many theaters will add extra screenings, Davis says. And theaters are more likely to extend the film’s run a few additional weeks as well.
While the film is quite the experience in theaters, Davis adds, those who miss the window to watch it at the movies can always wait to see it when it comes out on streaming. It’s still worth it, he says.
“First and foremost, even if you have to wait a couple of weeks until the demand dries out a little bit, I would go to see it in theaters,” he says. “That being said, it’s a fantastic film. If you wind up watching this at home, I still think you’re going to get a lot out of the movie, the film speaks for itself. The performances speak for themselves.”