IMAX and Cinemark announced on Monday an agreement to add and upgrade systems across 17 locations, with Rochester’s Tinseltown location on Buffalo Road becoming one of three — along with Colorado Springs and Chicago — to receive IMAX 70mm for the first time. Currently, there are only 30 theaters in the world equipped to project IMAX 70mm film.
A press release from IMAX noted that all three new IMAX 70mm film locations will be operational before Academy-Award winning director Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” the first theatrical release shot entirely in IMAX film, which arrives in theaters July 17, 2026.
“With a tremendous slate ahead in 2026 highlighted by a number of Filmed for IMAX and IMAX 70mm film releases, we look forward to working with Cinemark to deliver the most immersive cinematic experiences to its customers and growing the value of our longstanding partnership,” said Rich Gelfond, CEO of IMAX.
An investment in the IMAX 70mm format follows a trend of theaters and studios listening to modern audiences as well as aligning with the film preferences of notable directors such as Nolan, Quentin Tarantino and Paul Thomas Anderson. The announcement arrives well after a July presale for Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” which stars Matt Damon as Odysseus, sold out within an hour.
The 70mm film format also saw a boom in interest with the release of Nolan’s seven-time Academy Award winning “Oppenheimer,” which had limited IMAX 70mm screenings, although was only filmed partially on the format. The limited showtimes exposed the limited number of theaters globally equipped to project 70mm.
Experiences like IMAX laser and screening feature films shot on 70mm are just a few of the ways theaters are able to differentiate themselves from online streaming platforms. Each year, an increasing number of Oscar nominees and winners are shot on motion picture film. With the introduction of a new projection system at Tinseltown, the film reels made here in Rochester will come full circle.
Great to know! Glad to see Rochester, the Worlds Image Centre, remaining on the leading edge.
Interesting, but thought we already had an imax film venue here from the very start. What imax film gains in resolution is offset by the klunky cameras and projectors and short takes. Fine for outdoor panoramas but forget about interiors and long sequences.