8 January 2025 - Writing about CinemaNext's recent work with IMAX in Türkiye was an opportunity to do a deep-dive into IMAX film listings there and in other countries when a realisation struck; the traditional image of IMAX as the home of superhero spectacles and sci-fi extravaganzas is undergoing a fascinating transformation. Its recent USD $12.5 million global weekend, dominated by The Walt Disney Studios's "Mufasa: The Lion King" and Focus Features' "Nosferatu," demonstrates how IMAX is today successfully expanding beyond its action-heavy roots to embrace a more diverse cinematic palette. Beyond just premium large format, this is good news for the cinema industry as a whole.
Consider this striking juxtaposition: a family-oriented animated feature and an arthouse horror film sharing premium large format supremacy. "Mufasa" achieved an impressive USD $8 million global weekend with merely a 4% drop, while Robert Eggers' gothic "Nosferatu" claimed USD $1.7 million domestically. This isn't just counter-programming; it's a strategic repositioning of what constitutes "IMAX-worthy" entertainment.
The ecosystem is becoming even more varied, particularly when we look beyond Hollywood. In Asia, we're seeing Wanda Media's intriguingly titled crime thriller "Octopus with the Broken Arms" securing USD $1.6 million from Chinese IMAX screens, while South Korean biographical period drama (!) "Harbin" generated USD $630,000 from just 27 locations. Only in India did a more traditional IMAX-type action thriller "Pushpa 2: The Rule" push the "Interstellar" re-release off the largest screens. The upcoming Hollywood slate further emphasizes this diversity, with James Mangold's Bob Dylan biopic "A Complete Unknown" starring Timothée Chalamet joining the premium format lineup. It will be followed by Warner Bros. Entertainment and New Line Cinema's romantic psychological thriller "Companion". This is not just because there is a lack of action-heavy blockbusters over this holiday (pace: no "Avatar") but because the programming scope is widening.
This shift reflects a maturing understanding of premium cinema and what audiences are prepared to pay for on the biggest screen. While IMAX built its brand on the promise of scale and spectacle, it's now recognising that immersion isn't solely about action sequences and visual effects. Horror benefits tremendously from the format's ability to create overwhelming atmosphere, as "Nosferatu" demonstrates. Animation's rich detail and carefully crafted worlds gain new dimension on the larger canvas. Even intimate dramas can leverage IMAX's superior sound and picture quality to enhance emotional impact. Remember that last year's IMAX-darling "Oppenheimer" featured just one big explosion and was instead mostly about middle-aged white men talking to each other in rooms.
What's particularly interesting is how this diversification appears to be expanding rather than dividing the audience base. The strong performance of both "Mufasa" and "Nosferatu" suggests that IMAX has successfully positioned itself as a premium viewing experience for discerning audiences across genres. This is further evidenced by the re-release of Fincher's "Se7en," indicating that the format can add value to classic cinema experiences as well, in addition to a successful run of Nolan's "Interstellar", which became IMAX's biggest re-release of all time in its 10th anniversary release.
The financial implications are significant. By breaking free from reliance on traditional blockbuster windows, IMAX can maintain stronger year-round occupancy and attract demographics that might previously have viewed the format as solely for action enthusiasts. This strategy also provides valuable differentiation in an era where streaming platforms continue to play hot and cold with embracing theatrical exhibition for their films.
For exhibitors and studios alike, this evolution represents an opportunity to reframe the premium cinema proposition. It's no longer just about being bigger - it's about offering the definitive version of any cinematic experience, regardless of genre or even whether it is a new or old film. This could prove particularly valuable for mid-budget films seeking to maximise their theatrical potential in a challenging market. It also helps to make large format screens part of 'event' releases, as witnessed by A24's roll-out of "The Brutalist" in 70mm in selected markets.
Looking ahead, this trend suggests IMAX is successfully transitioning from being a specialty format to becoming a mark of premium cinematic presentation across all genres. The question now isn't whether a film fits the traditional IMAX mold, but rather how the format can enhance the specific storytelling qualities of each release. A major test will be the upcoming release of Golden Globe winner and hotly tipped Oscar favourite "The Brutalist" from A24 which will have a very strategic IMAX roll-out: large format cinema, meet long-format arthouse.
In an era where theatrical exhibition still faces multi-front challenges, IMAX's genre diversification might prove to be one of the industry's most prescient strategic pivots.
The Evolution of IMAX: From Blockbusters to Broader Cinema