Denis Villeneuve’s ‘Dune: Messiah’ Will Be Shot Entirely on IMAX Cameras

IMAX CEO Richard Gelfond has confirmed that Denis Villeneuve’s upcoming “Dune: Messiah” will be shot entirely on IMAX film cameras, making it only the second feature film to do so, following Christopher Nolan’s “The Odyssey.”

Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” currently in production, was previously announced as the first feature-length film to be shot entirely using IMAX cameras. Villeneuve’s ‘Messiah’ will now share that rare distinction.

Gelfond, speaking at a recent industry event, noted that the breakthrough came after years of pressure from directors like Nolan to make IMAX cameras more practical for feature-length use. “Chris called me up and said, ‘If you can figure out how to solve the problems, we’ll make it 100% in IMAX,’” Gelfond said, referring to the limitations of earlier IMAX rigs—namely their weight, noise, and lack of flexibility.

In response, IMAX rolled out a new generation of film cameras that are:

• 30% quieter, allowing for sync sound and clearer dialogue on set

• Lighter, thanks to carbon fiber builds

• More efficient, with faster film scanning and real-time dailies

This is a substantial upgrade from the IMAX cameras used on “Interstellar,” “Dunkirk,” and “Oppenheimer,” which were loud and bulky—great for spectacle, but impractical for extended shoots. Nolan reportedly used the upgraded systems to shoot every frame of “The Odyssey” in IMAX.

Notably, this means both “The Odyssey” and “Dune: Messiah” will be presented in full-frame IMAX 1.43:1 aspect ratio for their entire runtimes, assuming theaters are equipped to handle it. That’s an ambitious ask, but one that could signal a revival of 70mm projection in high-end venues worldwide.