At the Bank of America Media, Communications & Entertainment Conference, IMAX CEO Rich Gelfond revealed a crucial update on Christopher Nolan’s upcoming epic The Odyssey. In front of Wall Street investors, Gelfond confirmed that principal photography has wrapped and that the film was shot entirely on IMAX’s next generation of cameras, a rare public acknowledgment of new hardware developed specifically for Nolan.

IMAX finally goes on the record

For months, industry chatter has suggested Nolan was working with a new suite of IMAX film cameras. These cameras were rumored to be lighter, more flexible, and designed to solve limitations of the bulky 15/70 rigs. We previously examined these mysteries in Nolan’s Odyssey and the Curious Case of the Missing IMAX Cameras and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey: Where Are the Next-Gen IMAX Cameras?.

At the conference, Gelfond gave the first official statement:

“It’s the first film ever shot completely with IMAX cameras, and we… developed a new generation of cameras, which has a lot more features, and is much more flexible… principal photography is pretty much done.”

– IMAX CEO, Rich Gelfond

This moves speculation into confirmation. The new cameras are real, and they’ve already completed their first major test on set.

Why this matters for cinematographers

IMAX cameras have long been celebrated for their image quality but criticized for their size and noise. By acknowledging “a lot more features” and “much more flexible,” Gelfond hinted that the next-gen units are more adaptable to modern production workflows. While specs remain undisclosed, these improvements could mean:

• Greater mobility for handheld and Steadicam work.

• More reliable sync sound capture.

• Expanded lens compatibility.

• Improved reliability on extended shoots.

In short, IMAX’s hardware is moving closer to the demands of real-world cinematography.

Nolan’s role as a tech catalyst

This is not the first time Nolan has pushed camera manufacturers to innovate. From early adoption of IMAX film for narrative features to shooting nearly half of Oppenheimer in the format, he has consistently demanded more from camera systems. The Odyssey represents the culmination of that collaboration: IMAX literally building a new generation of cameras at a director’s request. The excitement surrounding this film has already been unprecedented. As we reported in IMAX 70mm Tickets for Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey Are Already Selling Out, audiences have been securing seats a full year in advance, proving how format and technology can drive demand before a single trailer drops.

Production wrap and next steps

Gelfond’s remark that “principal photography is pretty much done” also confirms where The Odyssey stands in its timeline. With filming wrapped, attention now turns to post-production, where the challenge will be finishing and mastering a film captured entirely in IMAX. This raises questions about digital workflows, visual effects integration, and theatrical exhibition at scale.

The bigger picture: Cameras as an investor talking point

The most striking element of this revelation is the setting. IMAX’s CEO didn’t share the news at a film festival or trade event, but at an investor conference. That tells us two things:

1. Camera innovation has become part of IMAX’s financial growth strategy.

2. Cinematography decisions are now leveraged as Wall Street talking points.

This underscores the economic weight that premium technology carries in today’s theatrical ecosystem.

Wrapping up

Two words: Premium Cinema. Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey is the first feature shot entirely with IMAX’s new cameras, now confirmed to be real and fully operational. With production wrapped, it stands as both a technological milestone and a business signal: cinematography has become a driver not just of artistry, but of investor confidence. And we, the audience, are the main stakeholders.