Ottawa film fans locked out of Christopher Nolan's Odyssey at shuttered museum theatre

Ottawa residents cannot watch Christopher Nolan's new film The Odyssey in its intended 70mm IMAX format because the Canadian Museum of History shuttered its theatre this summer as part of federal budget cuts.

CINÈ+, which opened in 1989, was the first permanent dual-screen IMAX theatre in North America—capable of projecting on either a dome or flat screen. That dual capability remains unique in the continent. But on June 30, the Gatineau museum closed the theatre indefinitely while undertaking a "strategic review" of its future.

The museum cited federal spending cuts, aging infrastructure, rising operational costs, and concerns about long-term financial sustainability. Museum spokesperson Avra Gibbs Lamey said the "current operating model for CINÈ+ was no longer sustainable."

Director of commercial operations Stephanie Fortin said the museum is open to reopening with 70mm capability but faces licensing hurdles and would need to assess technical standards before attempting to screen a film like The Odyssey. "It'll be interesting to see how that sustains over time," she said, noting the museum is monitoring industry trends as part of its strategic review.

Film historian Allison Whitney, a visiting Fulbright Canada scholar at Carleton University, called the 1989 opening "historically very significant" — it helped establish IMAX as a mainstream format beyond science museums. The theatre's original focus on human history and culture, not just science, set it apart from most early IMAX venues. Hollywood's most ambitious directors have since embraced 70mm: Ryan Coogler shot Sinners in the format last year, and Denis Villeneuve used it for scenes in his third Dune film.