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Odyssey
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey is in the middle of its Japanese rollout. IMAX advance screenings began September 4, the Tokyo Premiere is set for September 10, and nationwide release is September 11.
Synthesized from 15
Yomimono stories · updated
Sep 10
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey has moved from production announcements into a Japanese theatrical rollout. The film was shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, a shoot enabled by new hardware developed with Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema. IMAX built the Keighley 70mm film camera, and the production used a soundproofed rig called The Keely that weighs about 135 kg and needed a six-person crew. Nolan had wanted to shoot a full feature in IMAX since age 16, but the camera's drive noise made quiet dialogue recording nearly impossible until the new soundproofing was built.
The release plan is unusually wide on formats. The film opens in Japan on September 11 with simultaneous screenings in six formats and nine versions, including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, MX4D, and 35mm. IMAX early screenings run September 4 to 10. A Tokyo Premiere on September 10 will hold simultaneous screenings in five formats across five Tokyo venues, with a secret guest appearance planned for the IMAX screening at Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro. Advance demand in Tokyo has run ahead of supply, with every September 4 and 5 showing at Ikebukuro sold out within hours.
The film is an adaptation of Homer's epic and stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, alongside Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. Its worldwide box office reached $1.5526 billion (about 251.5 billion yen) as of August 30, the highest for a Nolan film and the highest ever for an R-rated release. Genkosha will publish a 280-page making-of book, priced at 7,150 yen, on September 11.
Key facts
- Japanese release date
- September 11, 2026 ↗
- IMAX early screenings
- September 4 to 10, ahead of the September 11 release ↗
- Tokyo Premiere
- September 10, with simultaneous screenings in five formats across five Tokyo venues and a secret guest at the Ikebukuro IMAX screening ↗
- Release formats
- Six formats and nine versions, including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, MX4D, and 35mm ↗
- Lead cast
- Matt Damon as Odysseus, with Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron ↗
- Worldwide box office
- $1.5526 billion (about 251.5 billion yen) as of August 30, the highest for a Nolan film and the highest ever for an R-rated release ↗
- Camera
- The Keighley, a new 70mm IMAX film camera developed with input from Christopher Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema ↗
- Soundproofing rig
- The Keely, a carbon soundproofing blimp weighing about 135 kg and requiring a six-person crew ↗
- Making-of book
- The Odyssey: Inside Christopher Nolan's Film Production, 280-page B4 variant, 7,150 yen, published by Genkosha on September 11 ↗
- IMAX popcorn bucket
- Shaped like an IMAX film camera, priced at $50, sold out quickly after online sales began June 4 ↗
Timeline
- Sep 8, 2026 Ancestors Sequel Plans Confirmed, Work Remains Distant
- Sep 4, 2026 The Odyssey IMAX Screenings Sell Out as Japanese Celebrities Weigh In
- Sep 2, 2026 Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Reveals the 135kg IMAX Camera Called 'The Keely'
- Aug 29, 2026 'The Odyssey' Tokyo Premiere Set for September 10 With Historic 5-Format Screening
- Aug 21, 2026 Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Making-of Book Gets Japanese Release in September
- Aug 15, 2026 IMAX's New Keighley 70mm Film Camera Was Built for Nolan's 'The Odyssey'
- Aug 8, 2026 'The Odyssey' Gets IMAX Early Screenings and 6-Format Release
- Jul 17, 2026 Momotaro Dentetsu, Etrian Odyssey, More Hit 3,278 Yen in Geo Sale
- Jul 11, 2026 20001 An Earth Odyssey Short to Premiere at Fantasia on July 18
- Jul 10, 2026 Fantasia Int'l Film Fest Screens Grotesqqque, A New Dawn, cocoon Anime
- Jul 8, 2026 Nolan's 'The Odyssey' Final Trailer Drops, IMAX Screenings Confirmed
- Jul 1, 2026 Universal Launches Official 'Odyssey' Game on Roblox Ahead of Nolan Film
- Jun 23, 2026 Nippon Animation Celebrates 50 Years With Three Original Series at Annecy
- Jun 5, 2026 Christopher Nolan's IMAX Camera Becomes a Popcorn Bucket
- May 29, 2026 Free-to-Play ADV Iris Odyssey: Pandora's Girl Launches on Steam
Synthesized by Yomimono from the cited Yomimono stories below, each itself
sourced, then editorially reviewed. Every
fact links the story it came from.
Facts
- Release
- movie · 2026-09-11 · 2026-09-04
- Release
- movie · 2026-09-11 · Japan · 2026-08-21
- Release
- movie · 2026-09-11 · worldwide · 2026-08-08
- Release
- movie · 2026-09-04 to 2026-09-10 · worldwide · 2026-08-08
- Release
- movie · September 2026 · US · 2026-07-08
- Release
- movie · 2026-06-05 · US · 2026-06-05
- Noted
- first feature shot entirely with IMAX cameras · 2026-09-04
- Noted
- worldwide box office reached $1.5526 billion · 2026-09-04
- Noted
- The 280-page B4 variant book, priced at 7,150 yen, covers production from script to completion with interviews, set photos, and concept art, including the life-sized Trojan Horse. · 2026-08-21
- Announced
- Tokyo Premiere on September 10, one day before nationwide release on September 11, featuring simultaneous screenings in five formats across five Tokyo venues, a historic first · 2026-08-29
Connections
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Claim activity
When a claim about Odyssey was confirmed, debunked, or disputed against
open-web sources. The record stays even after a claim drops off the facts list.
- Confirmed Christopher Nolan directs Odyssey Oct 8 · source
All coverage
Oct 4
Christopher Nolan's Odyssey has earned 1,561,769,520 yen and 824,936 admissions in Japan as of September 23, its 13th day in release or 20th counting IMAX preview screenings. It placed fourth overall and first among foreign films for the September 18-20 weekend, and the distributor says 2.5 billion yen is within reach.
Sep 19
Publisher GRAVITY GAME ARISE held a playtest event in Kayabacho on August 21, 2026, showing titles headed to Tokyo Game Show 2026, with release plans announced at the venue. Minna de Kuuki Yomi. World (Korean ver.) adds Korean customs and a Korean Culture Mode, planned for 2026 on iOS and Android. Light Odyssey is a soulslike boss rush starring Bundy.
Sep 11
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey opened in Japanese theaters on September 11, 2026. Matt Damon plays Odysseus, with Tom Holland as Telemachus and Anne Hathaway as Penelope. The film screened in IMAX previews from September 4 to 10, drawing 50,818 admissions and 115,618,060 yen over the first three days, and 88,334 admissions and 198,252,280 yen across the full preview run. It runs 172 minutes.
Sep 8
Patrice Desilets told Eurogamer he has plans for a sequel to Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey. He said the 2019 survival action adventure was designed as volume 1 of a multi-volume work. He owns the IP but called the situation complicated. Asked whether he could make a sequel, he affirmed and said he always finishes what he starts. Actual work remains unclear while he develops 1666: Amsterdam, which is in early access.
Sep 4
Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey began IMAX advance screenings in Japan on September 4, and demand is running ahead of supply. Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro sold out every showing for September 4 and 5 within hours of tickets going on sale, and other Tokyo theaters reported sold-out screenings piling up. The advance run continues through September 10, ahead of the nationwide release on September 11.
The screenings arrived with a wave of celebrity comments. Director Lee Sang-il called the film "a movie at the extreme point," manga artist Mari Yamazaki said it showed the maturity of film history, and game creator Hideo Kojima praised the all-IMAX presentation as "an Odyssey no one has seen." Astronaut Soichi Noguchi, who returned from space, said the story of a hero carrying guilt after war left him in awe. The film, based on Homer's epic and starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, is the first feature shot entirely with IMAX cameras. Its worldwide box office reached $1.5526 billion (about 251.5 billion yen) as of August 30, the highest for a Nolan film and the highest ever for an R-rated release.
Sep 2
A special video for Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' which opens September 11, reveals the behind-the-scenes of the first feature film shot entirely in IMAX. Nolan has wanted to shoot this way since age 16, but the camera's loud drive noise made recording quiet dialogue nearly impossible. IMAX engineers built a new camera with a carbon soundproofing blimp, nicknamed 'The Keely,' that weighs about 135 kg and required a six-person crew and mirrors on set.
Aug 29
Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' will hold a Tokyo Premiere on September 10, the day before its nationwide release on September 11. The event will feature simultaneous screenings in five formats across five Tokyo venues, a historic first. The IMAX screening at Grand Cinema Sunshine Ikebukuro will include a secret guest appearance.
Aug 21
Genkosha will publish 'The Odyssey: Inside Christopher Nolan's Film Production' on September 11, the same day the film opens in Japanese theaters. The 280-page B4 variant book, priced at 7,150 yen, covers production from script to completion with interviews, set photos, and concept art, including the life-sized Trojan Horse.
Aug 15
IMAX developed a new 70mm film camera called Keighley, with input from Christopher Nolan and cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema. It was used to shoot Nolan's 'The Odyssey,' which is set for release in Japan on September 11, 2026. The camera combines film quality with digital-era functionality.
Aug 8
Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' will hold IMAX early screenings from September 4 to 10, ahead of its September 11 release. The film also gets simultaneous release in six formats and nine versions, including IMAX, Dolby Cinema, 4DX, MX4D, and 35mm, with special visuals released for each.
Jul 17
Japanese retailer Geo is running a storewide game sale through July 20 that includes several Nintendo Switch 2 titles at discounted prices. The most notable deals are four games all priced at 3,278 yen: Momotaro Dentetsu, Etrian Odyssey I·II·III, Shiren the Wanderer 6, and Super Robot Wars Y. The sale covers both Switch 2 native software and Switch titles playable via backward compatibility, as well as Nintendo Switch 2 Edition upgrades of earlier Switch games. Other discounted Switch 2 titles include Mario Kart World (7,128 yen), Donkey Kong Bananza (5,478 yen), Poko a Pokemon (6,578 yen), Kirby's Air Rider (4,928 yen), and Hyrule Warriors: Sealed Chronicles (5,478 yen). Switch 2 Edition games like The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild (6,028 yen) and Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (3,828 yen) are also on sale. The on-site investigation by Inside Games and Game Spark confirms the prices are available at physical Geo stores while stock lasts.
Jul 11
Salamander Pictures and Nippon Animation will premiere their nearly eight-minute anime short 20001 An Earth Odyssey in competition at the Fantasia International Film Festival on July 18. The festival runs in Montreal from July 16 to August 2. The short is the first original project from Taiki Sakurai's Tokyo-based studio Salamander Pictures. Sakurai, who previously worked at Production I.G. and spent seven years building Netflix's anime business in Japan, left the streamer to focus on riskier original work. The sci-fi comedy follows three aliens who arrive on Earth 20,000 years after humanity vanishes and misinterpret every artifact they find, treating a playground as a sacred site and an umbrella as advanced technology. Sakurai describes the short as a family-friendly comedy with a meditation on history and archaeology. The production involved art director Jessie Liu from Los Angeles, animators from Korea and France, and Maru Animation. Sakurai plans to expand the concept into a series of five-minute episodes and is seeking partners after the festival premiere.
Jul 10
The 30th Fantasia International Film Festival will screen multiple anime premieres including the world premiere of CloverWorks' three-part collection Grotesqqque, two episodes of the live-action Junji Ito series, and several short films, along with the North American premiere of A New Dawn and the Canadian premiere of cocoon. The festival runs July 16 to August 2 in Montreal.
Jul 8
The final US trailer for Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' has been released, along with the announcement of simultaneous IMAX screenings. The film, an adaptation of the ancient Greek epic, stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. It is the first feature film shot entirely with IMAX film cameras.
Jul 1
Universal Pictures has released 'The Odyssey: Defy the Gods,' the official Roblox game for Christopher Nolan's upcoming film 'Odyssey,' on Roblox and other platforms. The multiplayer nautical action-adventure game lets players sail with companions, gather supplies, and overcome obstacles like storms and whirlpools. An event offers the limited gold avatar item 'Helmet of Agamemnon.' The game carries an 18+ age rating on Roblox.
Jun 23
At the 2026 Annecy International Animation Film Festival, Nippon Animation held a 50th anniversary panel and unveiled three original series: the sci-fi black comedy 2001: An Earth Odyssey, the gourmet drama Taverna!!!, and the Alice in Wonderland reimagining Alices. Producer Taiki Sakurai and director Yumiko Yoshizawa presented the projects, which mark a shift toward adult-oriented content for the studio. A sizzle reel of classics like Heidi and The Adventures of Tom Sawyer drew applause.
Jun 5
To promote Christopher Nolan's film 'The Odyssey', IMAX has created a popcorn bucket shaped like an IMAX film camera. Priced at $50, it sold out quickly after online sales began on June 4. The bucket includes a viewfinder showing a scene from the film in IMAX aspect ratio.
May 29
Eisnid released its new PC title "Iris Odyssey: Pandora's Girl" on Steam on May 29, 2026. The game is a modern fantasy text adventure set in Shibuya. It follows Kazahana, an orphan girl searching for her missing brother Mitsuba, who awakens magical powers and meets Iris, a seasoned mage pursuing the criminal mage organization Sky Seeker. The story branches based on player choices, with Kazahana and Iris deepening their bond. The business model is free-to-play with item billing: the prologue through the middle part (over two hours of play) is free. The full main story is unlocked via a paid DLC called the Complete Package, priced at 2,980 yen. A launch sale runs until June 11, offering the Complete Package at 10% off (2,682 yen). An ASMR drama featuring Kazahana, titled "I will take care of your ears responsibly," is also available on DLsite for 1,980 yen.