The Columbian51%
Space Needle urged to show feature films on Washington’s biggest IMAX screen 12%
By Margo Vansynghel0% The Seattle Times70%
8/2/2026, 3:09:04 PM
BS Summary: This article contains 10 faulty reasoning types, including Availability Heuristic, Loss Aversion, and Quote-first Misdirection, with Negativity Bias as the most egregious example at 13.4% saturation with 97 hits. Analysis detected 502 faulty-reasoning hits from 724 analyzed words, generating a BS Score of 23.4% and a BS Rank of 12% (22,656 of 25,472 articles). This article is better (less manipulative) than 88.90% of the article peer group.
Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey” has been in theaters for only two weeks, and it’s already been an epic journey, shattering box office expectations and selling out screenings worldwide.
Across the country, people are clamoring to see the film on the biggest screens possible, ideally in IMAX, an immersive, taller film format with a high level of detail.
But Washington film fans can’t see the movie on the biggest IMAX screen in the state.
That’s because IMAX at the Center — the former Boeing IMAX Theater — is showing only documentaries right now.
That’s what the Seattle Film Commission pointed out in a public letter sent Wednesday to the new owners of IMAX at the Center, the owners of the Space Needle, as they urged the company to resume showing feature films.
“The Seattle Film Commission is saddened by yet another beloved theater being lost — in this case, new ownership by Space Needle prioritizing IMAX documentary films over features,” the advisory board established by the city of Seattle wrote in a letter addressed to the theater’s new owner, the company behind the Space Needle and Chihuly Garden and Glass.
The company purchased part of Seattle’s Pacific Science Center for $17.25 million earlier this spring, including the then-Boeing IMAX Theater.
While the 373-seat theater still is showing short documentaries, including ones about artist Dale Chihuly and NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, feature films currently are not part of the plan, Space Needle public relations director Amy Cunningham said this spring before the theater’s reopening in late May.
Cunningham confirmed receipt of the film commission’s letter but didn’t provide comment Thursday afternoon.
“We strongly encourage Space Needle to consider the value of the screen beyond documentary shorts,” commission members wrote in the letter.
Seattle’s filmgoers, visitors to Seattle Center and anyone who loves watching film at an “epic scale” have proved that value, the letter argues further: “We hope Space Needle considers the role they have in that cultural conversation, as stewards of one of the region’s most prized venues.”
The commission, which consists of industry professionals, has no legal power but makes recommendations to the city on policies and programs on the economic development of Seattle’s film industry.
The letter — signed by the 10 sitting members of the commission — urged the Space Needle to commit to maintaining regular theatrical film programming, partnering with experienced film programmers, and engaging with Seattle’s film community, educational institutions, distributors and cultural organizations to develop a sustainable vision for the theater’s future.
IMAX is a type of “premium” film format favored by cinephiles and many directors because it’s designed for optimal and immersive viewing with larger-than-average screens, often multiple stories high, high-resolution imagery and unique stadium seating.
While many theaters may use the IMAX moniker, including in the Seattle area, IMAX at the Center is the only one locally that has a dual 4K Laser projection system paired with a 60-foot-tall, 80-foot-wide, 1.43:1 aspect ratio screen, allowing it to display full-frame, uncropped and high-resolution features filmed for IMAX, like “Dune 2” or “The Odyssey.”
(It does not, however, show 70mm films, which offer detailed texture.)
IMAX 70mm is the format Nolan has said best suits the movie.
Washingtonians, however, have to go on their own adventures — to California or Vancouver, B.C. — to see the movie in IMAX 70mm.
“The Odyssey” already is a mega hit: On Wednesday, the film surpassed $700 million at the global box office, becoming the fourth-highest-grossing movie of the year after less than two weeks in theaters.
So far, IMAX showings contributed $140 million of the film’s global ticket sales, Variety reported.
But big hits don’t necessarily equal profitability.
While blockbusters like “Dune 2” or “Oppenheimer” were well attended at PacSci’s IMAX theaters, data provided by the nonprofit earlier this year showed that overall, revenue for its IMAX theaters had been declining due to decreasing attendance and increasing overhead costs.
Theater expenses were exceeding revenue.
Amid a wider movie theater industry contraction, studios and distributors have instituted terms that make it increasingly difficult for theaters — especially single-screen ones — to run a profit.
PacSci, hoping to stabilize amid financial headwinds, sold the then-Boeing IMAX Theater (as well as other parts of its property) to the Space Needle in March.
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