Universal Launches Oscar Push for 'The Odyssey' With High-Profile Screenings
Christopher Nolan’s epic will be screened in 70mm and IMAX formats across three continents, featuring Q&As moderated by fellow Oscar winners.
By Harper Laurent ·
Universal is launching a ten-week Oscar campaign for Christopher Nolan’s 'The Odyssey' this week, a strategy designed to secure nominations for the film, which has already earned $1.1 billion globally. The official push begins November 9 in New York, followed by a two-week run of Los Angeles screenings where Nolan, producer Emma Thomas, and star Matt Damon will appear nearly every night.
The campaign relies heavily on large-format screenings to counter the perception that high-grossing summer films are not serious contenders for the top prize. Only 'Titanic' and 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' have won best picture after crossing the $1 billion threshold, while hits like 'Avatar' and 'Barbie' failed to take the top award. Universal aims to position the film as a prestige picture by emphasizing that it was shot entirely on IMAX film cameras.
A centerpiece of the early campaign is not a feature screening but a 75-minute making-of documentary titled 'Behind the Scenes of The Odyssey.' It premieres at the Universal Studios Spielberg Theater on November 10 at 7 p.m. Nolan will introduce the film, and Matt Damon will moderate a Q&A session that includes key crew members such as editor Jennifer Lame, production designer Ruth De Jong, and composer Ludwig Göransson.
Los Angeles voters will see the film in various formats, with most dates tagged IMAX 70mm, 70mm, or 35mm. Robert Downey Jr. will moderate the kickoff screening at the TCL Chinese Theatre on November 11. Guillermo del Toro will host the session at AMC Universal CityWalk on November 12, and Steven Spielberg will moderate a 70mm showing at the DGA Theater on November 17.
Additional Los Angeles dates include a 35mm screening at the Spielberg Theater on November 13 featuring casting director John Papsidera and costume designer Ellen Mirojnick. On November 14, the Academy Museum will host a 70mm screening with a cast panel including Tom Holland, Lupita Nyong’o, Zendaya, and Samantha Morton. The local run concludes with an IMAX showing at Playa Vista on November 20.
International screenings are scheduled across the United Kingdom, Europe, and Australia. London viewers will see the film at the BFI IMAX and Odeon Luxe theaters in November. Screenings in Rome, Copenhagen, Berlin, and Madrid are also scheduled, along with dates in Melbourne, Wellington, and Rio de Janeiro.
Universal has listed potential categories for the film in its promotional materials, including Best Picture, Director, Adapted Screenplay, Actor for Matt Damon, and Original Score for Ludwig Göransson. The studio also lists nominations for Cinematography, Film Editing, Production Design, Costume Design, Makeup and Hairstyling, Sound, Visual Effects, and Supporting Roles for Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, John Leguizamo, Anne Hathaway, and Samantha Morton.
