Westwood’s historic Village Theatre will welcome moviegoers one more time before it shuts its doors for an extensive and extended renovation odyssey later this year.
Under a special arrangement between Universal and the Village Directors Circle, the collective of filmmakers led by Jason Reitman that bought the movie palace in 2024, American Cinematheque will screen Christopher Nolan’s new epic The Odyssey in a special three-week engagement beginning July 17.
The movie will be presented in 70mm and play three times a day, according Cinematheque, which partnered with the theater last year to program and operate the theatre.
The three-week engagement is part of programming and special events Cinematheque is putting on as a fundraising effort prior to its fall closure for a 12-month renovation and restoration. The theater recently hosted the world premiere of James Cameron and Billie Eilish’s Billie Eilish – Hit Me Hard and Soft: The Tour (Live in 3D).
Nolan and Odyssey producer and wife Emma Thomas are partners in the VDC, which bought the theater in 2024 and features a galaxy of filmmakers ranging from J.J. Abrams and Ryan Coogler to Steven Speilberg and Denis Villeneuve among its ranks.
“There are many reasons to go to the movies, but few better than a three-week run of ‘The Odyssey’ in 70mm at one of the most beautiful movie palaces in the country. This American Cinematheque series is a preview of what we hope the restored Village Theatre will become,” said Reitman in a statement. “A home for great filmmakers, great audiences, and the kind of theatrical experiences that simply can’t be replicated anywhere else. Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas were among the very first filmmakers to step in when the Village Theatre needed help. Their commitment to keeping the spirit of moviegoing alive continues to inspire us all.”
Cinematheque artistic director Grant Moninger stated, “The Village booth will be fitted with restored dual 70mm projectors to ensure a world-class presentation throughout the entire run.”
Odyssey is the one of the more anticipated cinema releases of the summer. Opening July 17, the movie is a retelling of the epic tale of Homer and stars Matt Damon, Tom Holland, Anne Hathaway, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya and Charlize Theron, among others.
With a projected 2027 completion to its planned renovation, the VDC and Cinematheque want the remodeled Village Theatre to be the latest go-go venue for special screenings with in-person conversations, awards season events, new theatrical releases, retrospectives and tributes, as well as Cinematheque’s popular year-round programming and festivals such as Beyond Fest, Bleak Week, This Is Not a Fiction and Ultra Cinematheque 70. The organization also want to continue the venue’s legacy of hosting movie premieres.
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