Police were called to the Regal LA Live theater in Los Angeles on Friday night after a moviegoer reportedly refused to leave a sold-out 70mm IMAX screening of "The Odyssey." The incident, which occurred after the film had ended, led to a delay for the next scheduled showing.
According to an X user who was present, the individual wanted to watch the film again and remained in their seat, preventing the next audience from entering the auditorium. "Yep there’s 4 cops in there in flashlights and they can’t let anyone in!" the user posted on the social media platform.
Officials from the Los Angeles Police Department confirmed that officers responded to the scene. The man was eventually escorted out of the theater by police, and the subsequent screening was delayed by approximately 25 minutes. To make up for lost time, theater staff reportedly skipped all trailers except for one for "Dune."
The demand for "The Odyssey," particularly its 70mm IMAX presentations, has been exceptionally high since its release. Tickets for these exclusive showings have been scarce, with many screenings selling out rapidly. This scarcity has reportedly driven up resale prices for tickets into the hundreds of dollars.
"The Odyssey" is notable for being the first narrative feature filmed entirely with IMAX film cameras. Director Christopher Nolan collaborated with IMAX to develop lighter and quieter camera technology, enabling the entire production to be shot in the format. The film requires specialized 15/70 IMAX projection, a format for which only a limited number of theaters worldwide are equipped. These theaters utilize aging analog systems that require highly specialized maintenance.
California has a significant concentration of these theaters, with eight locations offering the 15/70 IMAX format. Despite this, the intense demand has consistently outstripped supply, contributing to the premium prices for showings.