Christopher Nolan makes films that demand to be seen on the biggest of screens, and The Odyssey is no exception. The critically acclaimed fantasy epic was the first movie ever to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras, as Nolan and crew went the extra mile to fully immerse audiences in the story. All that hard work paid off in spades; not only did The Odyssey earn some of the best reviews of Nolan’s career, it broke multiple box office records, becoming the highest-grossing R-rated film of all time. With its sweeping scope and jaw-dropping set pieces, The Odyssey is tailor-made for theaters, and people have made a point to return for repeat viewings. However, there will come a day when Nolan fans want to watch The Odyssey from the comfort of home.
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Now, we know when you’ll be able to experience The Odyssey in your living room. According to Variety, The Odyssey will be available to rent and purchase on Digital platforms on November 17th. That’s also the day when physical copies of the film (4K and Blu-ray) will hit shelves.
Why The Odyssey Has Such a Long Theatrical Window
The Odyssey will debut on home media four months after it premiered in theaters, which is atypical in this day and age. Exclusive theatrical windows have become shorter, a byproduct of the COVID-19 pandemic, and new titles hit Digital and streaming in relatively no time at all. Even Toy Story 5, one of The Odyssey‘s fellow members in the $1 billion club, hit Digital platforms just two months after its theatrical release. It’s taking The Odyssey twice as long to arrive on home media, which can likely be attributed to Nolan’s status in the film industry. If The Odyssey was directed by someone else, the Digital release would probably happen earlier, but Nolan’s films are subject to special treatment.
When Nolan was shopping Oppenheimer around, Universal agreed to the director’s terms, which included a theatrical window between 90-120 days. After premiering in theaters in July 2023, Oppenheimer didn’t hit home media platforms until November 2023, four months later. The studio is clearly following the Oppenheimer playbook with how it’s handling The Odyssey. Unlike Oppenheimer, The Odyssey was set up at Universal, but it’s reasonable to assume the terms that applied to Oppenheimer were part of the deal here. Nolan is a champion of the theatrical experience; his long-standing relationship with Warner Bros. was soured due to how WB operated during the pandemic (the release of Tenet and the day-and-date streaming premieres of the 2021 slate were sticking points). Looking to avoid a controversy like that, Universal probably decided it was best to keep The Odyssey in theaters for as long as possible.
Though The Odyssey has been out for over a month, it remains a viable box office draw. It came in second place at the domestic box office last weekend, grossing $23.6 million. It’s also the second-highest-grossing movie of the year both worldwide and domestically. The fact that IMAX has scheduled 70mm Odyssey screenings through mid-September illustrates how much demand there is to see the film on the big screen. If interest is still high, there’s no reason to rush the Digital release and potentially undercut ticket sales. It also wouldn’t be surprising if there was a re-release later in the year as awards season heats up and Universal mounts a campaign.
November is honestly the perfect window for The Odyssey to hit home media. It’ll be out in plenty of time to capitalize on the holiday shopping season (an Odyssey 4K would be a great gift for the cinephiles on your list), much like Oppenheimer was a few years back. In the meantime, it’s sticking around in theaters long enough so that everyone who wants to see it on the big screen has plenty of opportunities to catch it at the multiplex.
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Image via New Line Cinema
