Christopher Nolan discussed the ambitious process of creating 'The Odyssey' entirely in 70mm Imax during a '60 Minutes' interview with Scott Pelley. Nolan emphasized the scale of the project, stating, "In taking on ‘The Odyssey,’ it does become about scale. It needed to be the biggest film that we had done. It needed to be challenging to all of us, because that’s the nature of the story."
Nolan's Ambitious Undertaking
In a clip from the interview, Pelley observed, "Looks like you nearly drowned Matt Damon," referencing a scene where Damon, playing Odysseus, navigates a ship through treacherous waters. Laughing, Nolan responded, "We certainly put him through his paces." Damon agreed in a separate interview, noting, "It was the hardest movie I’ve ever done by far. Not even close."
The Imax Process
According to Pelley, 'The Odyssey' is the first-ever feature-length film shot entirely in Imax. The interview showcased Nolan's editing process, where he physically cuts and glues frames together at the world’s last film lab of its kind. Pelley noted that Nolan was inspired by his first Imax experience at age 16, but acknowledged the challenges of the format: "Imax is expensive and cumbersome. Digital photography and editing are faster and cheaper, so almost no one does this anymore."
Preserving Cinematic Artistry
Pelley explained the rationale behind Nolan's dedication to Imax, saying, "The 70mm Imax frame has resolution or image quality up to three times higher than digital." He concluded, "Art — the hard way." Nolan's commitment to the format demonstrates his desire to keep this cinematic art alive despite technological shifts.
Upcoming Broadcast
The full '60 Minutes' interview with Christopher Nolan will air on CBS this Sunday at 7 p.m. and will be available for streaming on Paramount+.
Source: https://variety.com/2026/film/news/christopher-nolan-the-odyssey-70mm-imax-editing-process-1236750124/
