As Odysseus relentlessly made his way back from the Trojan War to his throne in Ithaca, so too will The Odyssey relentlessly storm the box office this summer. It seems beyond inevitable that it’ll be among the biggest films of the year, with many earmarking it to breach $1 billion with relative ease.
Some of the hype around this adaptation from Homer’s classic works revolves around how it’s shot. The Odyssey is the first film to be shot entirely with IMAX cameras, which will create a unique cinematic experience. However, there are many kinds of screenings, and few cinemas that run IMAX.
As such, to help any and all cinemagoers in Essex find the best screenings, here’s what you need to know about The Odyssey before tickets go on sale.
Finding the Right IMAX Screenings
IMAX is certainly the buzzword around The Odyssey right now, but there are many different kinds of IMAX. The important thing is to find a cinema with an IMAX screen, which are typically much larger and span from the floor to the ceiling. From there, you can find a couple of different IMAX types.
The outright best way to experience The Odyssey will be in IMAX 70mm. It’s shown in the 1.43:1 expanded aspect ratio, while the film runs horizontally through the projector to give it its biggest and most high-resolution showing. Alternatively, there’s IMAX 1.90:1, which requires an IMAX laser to completely fill your field of vision.
For the residents of Essex who don’t want to travel too far to see The Odyssey, the best choice is Cineworld Basildon & IMAX. Found at the Festival Leisure Park, its IMAX screen will be the centrepiece of its The Odyssey run, so you can bet that getting tickets will be competitive. Others nearby are ODEON Chatham and Cineworld Enfield.
A Need to Get in Quickly or Wait a Long Time

It’s tough to overstate just how much interest there is in seeing Homer’s incredible story come to life on the big screen with a deservedly titanic budget. Of course, it’s not just the original epic poems that remain important and popular today, as the whole Ancient Greek mythical setting is of huge interest to millions.
You’ll find no end to the number of new information, reinterpretations, or retellings of Greek myths among the books at major sellers like Waterstones and Blackwell’s. Plus, platforms that are quick to tap into trends continue to release new Greek myth content. With a bingo free bonus for slots, players can explore the wide range of titles, including an Ancient Mediterranean slot, Centurion Bigger Big Money. From there, they’ll find Aphrodite: Legends of Olympus, Triple Pot Plinko Hercules, and Mythology of Zeus Quad Charge – and they’re just the games in the ‘new’ section.
Regardless of the corner of the wider entertainment space you’re exploring, Greek mythology is a particularly popular theme. Now, The Odyssey arrives to bring it to life, riding the adoration and momentum of writer-director Christopher Nolan. Somehow, he turned a biopic about a theoretical physicist into a near-$1 billion hit in 2023.
With all of this, and more, combined, you can guarantee that getting tickets to The Odyssey in its opening weeks is going to be tough. You’ll need to be quick to jump on new listings on the Cineworld website to book your slot with what’s set to be the biggest film of the year.



