NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Christopher Nolan's The Odyssey had a blockbuster opening weekend at the box office, and at Nashville's Regal at Opry Mills, getting a seat for their IMAX 70mm showings was an odyssey of its own for some folks.
The film was shot entirely on IMAX 70mm film, a format only about 40 theaters in the world can project.
The Regal at Opry Mills is one of only two in Tennessee with that setup, meaning packed houses and high demand for tickets.
Lindsey Baydoun planned ahead to secure her seats.
"I bought these tickets weeks ago," Baydoun said.
She wanted to see the film the way Nolan intended — with full 70mm IMAX projection.
"We're such huge history nerds and fans, that seeing it in this format was amazing," said her husband Mark Baydoun.
The projector and film are large enough to fill an entire room. Baydoun said the experience was unlike anything else.
Robert Bettelon was checking for available seats while on a road trip this weekend.
After searching through sold-out showings, he found two for Tuesday’s 11 a.m. showing.
"We saw some at 7 a.m., we saw some at 11 p.m., and everything was still full, so the fact that we found this today, we were really excited," Bettelon said.
For Bettelon, the persistence paid off.
"Truly one of the best movie theater experiences I've ever had seeing a movie," Bettelon said.
The film is also available on traditional digital systems at most theaters, but for those who made the trip to see the nearly 3,000-year-old story in 70mm, the experience left a lasting impression.
Mt. Juliet teenager Jake Smith, who saw the film with his dad, summed it up simply.
"Epic, loud, and so cinematic. Like this is what I want in a movie," Smith said.
Regal Opry Mills brought in special projectionists to run this IMAX 70mm system for showings.
This story was reported on-air by journalist Robb Coles and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at robb.coles@newschannel5.com.
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