Enthusiasts of Christopher Nolan's film "The Odyssey" are driving resale prices for screenings at New York City's sole IMAX 70 mm theater to extraordinary levels, with some tickets fetching over $1,000 per seat.
One eBay seller successfully sold three pairs of tickets for showings at AMC Lincoln Square 13 on Manhattan's Upper West Side for $999 per pair. Other listings on the platform have included prices such as $998 for six "prime seats" and $899 for three rear-row seats. A single listing sought $7,000 for five tickets to an August showtime, but had not yet found a buyer.
A dedicated Reddit community for New York City moviegoers has seen numerous requests for tickets to experience the film as director Nolan intended, on IMAX screens capable of projecting 70 mm film, which offers the highest resolution.
"I just want one ticket to 70 mm... it’s hurting my heart that I can’t just get one ticket for one day, and I’m hearing some people didn’t even show up to the movie," one user wrote on Reddit. "So please if you’re not sure or planning to not go, drop your ticket to me, please. I’m calling on Zeus himself."
Globally, only about 40 theaters are equipped with true IMAX 70 mm screens, contributing to the intense demand. AMC Lincoln Square 13, featuring a 75.6-foot tall by 101-foot wide screen, is the largest in the United States and New York City's only venue with this capability.
The demand has resulted in all IMAX 70 mm showtimes at the Lincoln Square theater, from early morning to late night, being sold out through August 19, the furthest date for which tickets were available.
Reports indicate that even wheelchair and companion seats, typically reserved for those with specific needs, are being purchased by resellers. One Reddit user posted a plea, "Please stop buying up the wheelchair spaces and especially the companion seats no matter how popular a movie is if you are not disabled."
Some moviegoers have also reported experiencing scams while attempting to secure tickets. A moderator for the r/NYCmovies subreddit, identified as Tessa, told Variety that the community is attempting to combat scalpers and scammers, though the anonymous nature of many online profiles makes this challenging. When scammer accounts are identified, they are banned, but often reappear under new names.
For those not seeking the premium IMAX 70 mm experience, tickets for Dolby and Laser screenings at AMC Lincoln Square 13 were readily available. However, a significant number of patrons appear determined to view the nearly three-hour film in its highest possible quality.
Members of AMC Stubs A-List, the theater chain's premium rewards program, have expressed frustration over scalpers consistently acquiring tickets whenever new availability is released. Maria Merkle, a Manhattan resident and A-List member, stated that out of her group of five friends with A-List, only one has managed to secure an IMAX ticket.
Merkle shared, "I watched it opening night on a regular, not-IMAX screen because I couldn’t get IMAX tickets at an AMC. I want to rewatch on the Lincoln Center 70-mm. IMAX screen, but I s–t you not, every single seat is booked for every single showing as far out as AMC releases tickets."
Discussions on Reddit also involve detailed seating preferences and ticket trading. However, the r/NYCmovies subreddit's rules stipulate that tickets can only be sold at their original price. Several posts have cautioned users against scammers requesting payment transfers via Venmo or Zelle without providing proper verification.
One user observed that scalper activity has led to approximately 10 empty seats in a sold-out theater on a Monday night, likely due to tickets that scalpers were unable to resell in time.