BFI IMAX Website Fails as The Odyssey Tickets Sell Out in Minutes

Tens of thousands of individuals flocked to the British Film Institute’s website following the announcement that tickets for The Odyssey would be made available once more. However, within mere minutes, the tickets had sold out. The BFI IMAX revealed it would be releasing an additional batch of tickets for Christopher Nolan’s cinematic masterpiece after the initial allocation was snapped up due to overwhelming demand.

The new tickets went on sale at 2pm on 31 July, and just ten minutes later, more than 25,000 eager fans were attempting to access the BFI’s website, only to find themselves placed in a queue. Social media users humorously remarked, “Odysseus waited 10 years to get home. These fans are about to wait longer just to sit down,” and “The true Odyssey is just trying to get to the cinema.” This surge in interest follows the complete sell-out of all 173 screenings of The Odyssey at the Waterloo-based IMAX—Britain’s largest cinema screen—up until 10 September.

Frustration Amidst High Demand

Frustration among fans has been palpable on social media, with one individual lamenting, “I’ve given up trying to get tickets to The Odyssey at BFI IMAX lol,” sharing a screenshot that displayed over 25,000 people ahead of them in the queue. Amidst posts from individuals claiming to sell tickets on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, another user commented: “25k in the queue for the BFI? I’m never seeing The Odyssey in 70mm,” while another noted, “15,733 people ahead of me in the queue for additional Odyssey screenings just released at BFI IMAX….”

Reports indicate that some audience members have travelled from as far afield as Singapore, Los Angeles, and Toronto to experience the film in IMAX 70mm. Madeleine Mullett, the BFI IMAX programme manager, previously remarked, “The extraordinary demand for our IMAX 70mm presentation of The Odyssey, experienced as intended by the filmmakers, is ultimate proof of the appetite audiences have for cinema at its most authentic.”

Breaking Records and Setting Trends

The Odyssey has proven to be a box-office sensation, raking in an impressive £198.2 million during its opening weekend and surpassing the BFI IMAX’s previous advance-booking records. The film eclipsed titles such as Dune: Part Two and Oppenheimer after grossing £750,000 within just 24 hours of tickets going on sale. The BFI IMAX is one of only three venues in the UK showing the film from an IMAX 70mm print, highlighting its significance in the current cinematic landscape.