Summary
- Christopher Nolan has confirmed that his upcoming adaptation of the ancient Greek epic will feature a shorter runtime than his previous film
- The production marks the first major budget feature to be shot entirely using IMAX film cameras
- To capture the extensive physical scale of the ocean-based shoot, the technical crew utilized over two million feet of film
Christopher Nolan‘s highly anticipated adaptation of The Odyssey will run shorter than his award-winning Oppenheimer.
A central point of discussion surrounding the release has been its runtime, which Nolan recently confirmed will clock in at under three hours. This duration is directly dictated by the structural constraints of the format itself, as three hours remains the absolute maximum length that can physically fit onto a traditional IMAX film projector. Despite the dense, episodic nature of Homer’s foundational saga, Nolan has assured audiences that the tighter timeframe will not compromise the project’s massive scale, telling AP that the picture is an “epic film, as the subject matter demands.”
He continued, “There’s a massive amount of pressure. Anyone taking on The Odyssey is taking on the hopes and dreams of people for epic movies everywhere and that comes with a huge responsibility. What I learned from [making The Dark Knight trilogy] is that what people want from a movie about a beloved story, a beloved set of characters, is they want a strong and sincere interpretation. They want to know that a filmmaker has gone to the mat for it. I really tried to make the best film possible.”
To visually translate the magnitude of the ancient myth, the project serves as the first major budget feature to be shot entirely on IMAX film. The production required unprecedented logistical engineering, leading the crew to utilize new, lighter-weight IMAX cameras capable of enduring grueling physical conditions. During the 91-day, globally spanning shoot — which placed the cast out on real ocean waves to authentically capture the high-stakes journey — the technical team ultimately ran through over two million feet of film.
Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is set to hit IMAX theaters globally on July 17.
