IMAX vs. Standard Theaters
- The average IMAX ticket price is $18.
- The average U.S. movie ticket price is about $9.
- IMAX tickets cost ~$5-$8 more than standard theater tickets for the same film.
- IMAX utilizes 70mm film projected onto a much larger screen with a taller aspect ratio.
IMAX Theatrical Experience
- IMAX has over 1,500 theaters in 80 countries globally.
- The basic IMAX home system for theaters up to 75 square meters is $400,000.
- Laser projectors for a premium large screen cost around $375,000 on average.
- Premium screens accounted for 14% of the 2022 North American box office.
Preference for 2D Screenings
- IMAX has revealed that 3D is “no longer the default.”
The Cost of Setting Up IMAX
- It costs $5 million to adapt a theater to IMAX: $3 million for space and $2 million for technology.
- The cost to build a commercial IMAX theater is about $12,000 per seat.
- Most IMAX theaters cost between $50 and $100 million. The largest was in Sydney for $75 million in 1999.
Note: AMC Entertainment Holdings does not offer theater franchises presently.