The world’s biggest IMAX theatre depends on how it is measured
Traumpalast Leonberg leads by screen area, while Melbourne is a leading contender for the largest 1.43:1 IMAX experience.
The title of the world’s largest IMAX theatre has no settled answer. The result changes depending on whether the comparison is based on screen area, dimensions or projection format, according to Engadget.
Traumpalast Leonberg in Germany is reported to have the largest cinema screen by surface area. Its screen measures about 127 feet wide by 69 feet tall, covering roughly 8,770 square feet. The venue was recognised by Guinness World Records in 2023.
For IMAX enthusiasts, however, screen area is only part of the calculation. Digital IMAX commonly uses a 1.90:1 aspect ratio, while 15/70mm film uses the taller, squarer 1.43:1 format. That difference has fuelled debate over whether digital venues deliver the same experience as 70mm film theatres.
Melbourne IMAX is reported to measure approximately 105 feet wide by 75 feet tall and is considered a leading contender for the largest “true” IMAX screen because of its 1.43:1 format and 70mm capability. The theatre is also described as the largest screen in the Southern Hemisphere.
Other contenders include AMC Lincoln Square in New York, at about 101 by 75.6 feet, and AMC Metreon 16 in San Francisco. Royal Cinemas in Pooler, Georgia, has a reported 101-by-76.2-foot screen with dual 4K laser projection, but its status as a “true” IMAX experience remains disputed.
IMAX operates about 1,800 screens globally across digital and 15/70mm film formats. The competing claims underline why the biggest theatre ranking remains a matter of definition as much as measurement.
