Why IMAX screenings command a premium
Engadget’s explainer details how larger screens, specialised projection and filmmaker collaboration set IMAX apart from standard cinemas.
IMAX cinemas offer more than an enlarged version of a conventional theatre experience. According to Engadget, the format combines larger, often taller screens with enhanced sound and image quality, while working with filmmakers on how movies are shot, edited and presented.
The screens commonly use a 1.90:1 aspect ratio for digital presentations and 1.43:1 for film. That gives IMAX images a taller, more square-shaped presentation than standard cinema formats. Filmmakers must also account for the expanded frame when choosing lenses, lighting, sound design and composition.
Most audiences encounter IMAX Digital, often installed in retrofitted cinemas and using dual xenon projectors. Other venues use laser systems: dual 4K projectors can support larger formats, while single-laser systems are limited to the 1.90:1 ratio but offer improved contrast and brightness over xenon projection.
The most specialised option is IMAX 70mm film. Unlike conventional 70mm presentation, the film runs horizontally through the projector and uses a larger frame. Engadget reports that the format is available at only 32 cinemas in North America and 41 worldwide, with ageing equipment and a shortage of specialist projection expertise limiting its reach.
That scarcity helps explain the premium attached to IMAX screenings. Engadget links strong demand for premium formats to major releases including Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey, while noting that IMAX tickets generally cost more than standard cinema admissions. For viewers, the appeal is a combination of scale, technical presentation and access to formats that remain unavailable at most theatres.
