The August 18 ticket sale for IMAX 70mm screenings of Dune: Part Three descended into chaos as demand overwhelmed ticketing infrastructure. Major platforms including Fandango and AMC experienced system crashes, while those who successfully accessed the websites faced lengthy virtual queues reminiscent of high-demand concert ticket sales.
The disruption extended beyond the digital realm. At New York City’s Lincoln Square AMC, which houses one of the nation’s largest IMAX screens, crowds formed around the building to purchase tickets in person, with reports indicating some individuals purchased up to 80 tickets at once. Scalpers have since listed these tickets on resale platforms for hundreds of dollars, despite AMC’s terms prohibiting such markups.
AMC CEO Adam Aron attributed the outages to unprecedented demand, noting that traffic levels tripled previous record-breaking sales events, including ticket launches for Spider-Man: Brand New Day and Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey. The extreme demand reflects the rarity of IMAX 70mm capabilities—only 41 theaters worldwide can show this format, with 25 located in the United States. Director Denis Villeneuve has emphasized that the film was specifically designed for this exclusive format, positioning it as the definitive viewing experience rather than merely an option among many.
Originally reported by Mashable →
About the Author
