The invention of IMAX had a main purpose of enhancing and creating an immersive viewing experience for moviegoers. The theatres and cameras were designed to grasp the clearest picture, and crispest sound in the industry. This is done through the design of the theatre itself, custom sound systems, and high resolution laser projectors for a clear picture. IMAX markets a film-going experience which draws people into theatres. Christopher Nolan, a director known for using IMAX in his films stated, “It’s a format that allows the audience to become fully immersed in the story and in the reality that you’re taking them to”(Weiss, 2025)1
1In 2019 during the Covid 19 pandemic, movie theatres and box office experienced an all-time low in attendance dropping 80% in ticket sales.2 After the shutdown was raised it was hard to get people to return to the theatres. People turned to alternative and “easier” ways to watching new movies, that being streaming, platforms. Many people would say that they would choose to stay in the comfort of their own home than to go out and spend money to watch a film that they could watch on a streaming platform. Technological companies saw the issue and had to come up with a way to bring people back into the theatres. IMAX saw this as an opportunity to advertise their theatres and movies as an “experience”. Offering the optimal viewing experience through curated theatres, impressive sound systems, large screens, and projectors specifically engineered laser projector to provide a clear picture.3 While having the convenience of watching a movie from home, the luxury experience of IMAX created a resurgence in popularity which revitalized the movie industry. Economically, IMAX has played a pivotal role in reviving the movie theater industry. While tickets are priced higher than an average ticket price, patrons show willingness to pay the extra for the immersive experience that the technology offers.4
The first interaction IMAX had with society in terms of the viewing experience was found in museums such as the National Air and Space Museums.5 After a while, they were able to adapt their systems by developing a lower cost two-projector system, which allowed for the experience to be brought to local movie theaters. With this new adaption, IMAX partnered with various movie companies to rerelease blockbuster movies to the big screen to give long time fans a new and immersive way to enjoy their favorite films. IMAX started to become the preferred way to watch new movies. In comparison to an average movie theatre, it has a significantly larger screen up to 40% larger, uses a twelve channel sound system, seating is at more of an angle giving each seat a better view of the screen, and high resolution projectors. These adaptions were all made to enhance the viewer experience.
Many directors are also becoming more inclined to incorporate IMAX into their films to boost box office as well as the audience’s emotional response. A director that is well known for their use of IMAX is Christopher Nolan. He uses the technology to capture epic scope and intimate detail in his films. Recently film makers have been offering releases exclusively in IMAX where they use a special high-resolution IMAX camera which provides the footage with an extended ratio. In this it provides audiences to see up to 26-40% more of the original image.6 This provides a special viewing experience for audiences only in IMAX theaters.7 IMAX provides directors a canvas for even greater detail and scale to enhance the storytelling of the film. It provides a great bridge between the directors vision and intent for the film with the audiences emotional reactions. It creates a lovely connection between artist and audience.
Footnotes
- Weiss, Josh. “Christopher Nolan’s the Odyssey Is the First Film to Ever Use IMAX like This.” NBC, May 16, 2025. https://www.nbc.com/nbc-insider/christopher-nolan-the-odyssey-will-be-shot-entirely-on-imax-cameras.
↩︎ - Whitten, Sarah. “This Chart Shows 2020 Had a Chance to Break Box Office Records, but Covid Caused Lowest Haul in Decades.” CNBC, December 29, 2020. https://www.cnbc.com/2020/12/29/box-office-2020-sales-plummeted-80percent-the-lowest-haul-in-decades.html.
↩︎ - “IMAX | the World’s Most Immersive Movie Experience.” IMAX. Accessed December 1, 2025. https://www.imax.com/.
↩︎ - Weaver, J. 2024. “IMAX Is Changing the World of Cinema – and What Movies Make It to the Big Screen in the First Place.” CBCnews, December 25, 2024. https://www.cbc.ca/news/entertainment/imax-movies-1.7413360. ↩︎
- “IMAX Theaters and Planetarium.” National Air and Space Museum, January 10, 2017. https://airandspace.si.edu/whats-on/imax-theaters-and-planetarium.
↩︎ - Jafar, Mark. “IMAX® Launches New ‘Filmed in IMAX’ Program with World’s Leading Digital Camera Brands | IMAX.” IMAX, September 17, 2020. https://www.imax.com/content/imax-launches-new-filmed-imax-program-worlds-leading-digital-camera-brands.
↩︎ - Albiniak, Paige. “How IMAX Encourages Audiences to Go to the Movies.” THE GLOBAL ENTERTAINMENT MARKETING ACADEMY OF ARTS & SCIENCES, November 26, 2025. https://www.gema.org/news/how-imax-encourages-audiences-to-go-to-the-movies.
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Sources
AMC Theatres. n.d. IMAX at AMC. https://www.amctheatres.com/imax.
Bridgett, Rob. 2023. “IMAX.” In Working with Sound, 1st ed., vol. 1, 123–26. Routledge. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781003354352-38.
Sheridan, Gabrielle. Inside IMAX: What Makes It ‘The World’s Most Innovative Movie-Going Experience.’ 1st ed. London: Anthem Press, 2021. https://ebookcentral.proquest.com/lib/umw/detail.action?pq-origsite=primo&docID=6735093.
Sperling, Nicole. 2025. “Why Is IMAX Suddenly Everywhere?” The New York Times, May 23, 2025. https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/23/business/media/imax-movie-theaters.html.