Nolan's 'The Odyssey' tickets sell out, spark resale frenzy

Tickets for director Christopher Nolan’s upcoming film “The Odyssey” went on sale in the United States on Thursday, June 4, sparking a surge of demand that overwhelmed major theater websites and created a booming secondary market. The film, an R-rated adaptation of Homer’s epic poem starring Matt Damon as Odysseus, is scheduled for a worldwide release on July 17, 2026.

Presales for IMAX and other premium large-format screenings began at noon, immediately leading to long virtual queues, technical delays, and reports of tickets being resold for hundreds of dollars. Moviegoers attempting to purchase tickets through platforms like AMC and Fandango encountered significant wait times, with some queues lasting over an hour. The intense demand quickly extended to resale platforms, where tickets for certain IMAX 70mm showings were listed on sites like eBay for as much as $1,500.

The frenzy is attributed to several factors. “The Odyssey” is the first narrative feature film ever shot entirely with IMAX cameras, a technical milestone heavily promoted as the definitive way to experience the epic. A limited number of theaters, particularly those equipped to show the film in the coveted IMAX...