Christopher Nolan’s box office phenomenon <The Odyssey is reclaiming its place on the biggest possible screens, returning to select IMAX theaters this Friday, October 9, just one week after being displaced by Tom Cruise’s action film Digger. The rapid swap underscores a stark contrast in theatrical fortunes: while Nolan’s epic adaptation of Homer’s poem has amassed an astonishing $1.76 billion worldwide, Digger has struggled to find its audience since opening on IMAX screens on October 2.
The decision to rotate the films reflects both commercial reality and the technical demands of presenting The Odyssey as intended. Only 41 theaters worldwide are equipped to play true IMAX, fitted with specialized 15-perf/70mm film projectors capable of displaying Nolan’s epic in its ideal aspect ratio. With such a limited number of qualifying venues, cinema operators must prioritize whichever title is most likely to draw crowds and generate revenue.
A Tale of Two Box Office Runs
The numbers paint an unambiguous picture. Digger reportedly earned around $20 million worldwide on its opening weekend against a staggering production budget of approximately $160 million, according to <Deadline >. The film buries Cruise under thick makeup to transform the ageless star into what is essentially a normal older man, yet that ambitious transformation has not translated into strong ticket sales.
The Odyssey, by contrast, continues its spectacular theatrical run. It currently stands as the second highest-grossing movie of the year globally, trailing only Spider-Man: Brand New Day, which has now surpassed $2 billion at the international box office. The film’s sustained appeal explains why theaters are eager to keep it on their premium formats for as long as possible.
The IMAX Experience Remains a Rare Treat
Digger was shot in VistaVision, a format that lends itself well to large-screen presentation, but its window on true IMAX is already closing. The Odyssey will take over the handful of qualifying screens this Friday, offering audiences one final chance to experience Nolan’s vision through the technology he championed throughout production.
The limited number of theaters capable of projecting The Odyssey in its intended ratio means that seeing it on IMAX is a genuinely rare event—one that fans should not miss while the opportunity remains.
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Critically, Digger has faced mixed reception since launch. IGN’s review of the film called its script its “Achilles heel,” and the movie currently holds a 51% rating on <Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer >(). The studio attempted to lean into the criticism, with an advertising campaign that trolled the negative reviews, but the strategy failed to move the needle with audiences.
The Odyssey has been similarly well-received without universally universal acclaim. Emily Wilson, the translator whose work inspired Nolan’s adaptation of Homer’s poem, reportedly disliked the film so much that she is now retranslating The Iliad in its entirety—a pointed reaction from someone intimately familiar with the source material.
Looking Ahead
For those hoping to catch Digger on a true IMAX screen, time is running out. The next films slated for planned IMAX releases are Street Fighter on October 16 and Godzilla Minus Zero starting November 3. Until then, the small window of opportunity to see The Odyssey as Nolan intended remains open at participating venues.
The rapid rotation between these two titles highlights an ongoing tension in modern cinema: the desire to showcase films through premium formats versus the practical realities of box office performance and limited infrastructure. As long as only 41 theaters worldwide can deliver the full IMAX experience, such scheduling decisions will continue to shape how audiences encounter the year’s biggest movies.
Kirk McKeand is a contributor on IGN News. Find him on Twitter @MckKirk.
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