Why you’re probably not watching The Odyssey in ‘real’ IMAX | Explained
The article explains the technical distinction between true 70mm IMAX film projection and the digital 'Liemax' format used in most modern theaters. It details the history of large-format cinema and why Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' is uniquely suited for the original IMAX experience.
Why it matters
It highlights the gap between consumer expectations and marketing branding in the film industry, helping audiences understand the value of premium cinema formats.
The big picture: Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey opened this week as the first feature-length film in cinema history shot entirely with IMAX’s proprietary cameras, captured on 65mm negative and printed for exhibition on 70mm stock, yet only a few dozen theatres worldwide can show it that way. Everywhere else, audiences are watching a digital stand-in for a negative built for something else, in set-ups cinephiles have long nicknamed ‘Liemax’. That matters more for this film than almost any other, and understanding why requires separating what IMAX actually is from the brand that has grown up around it.
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