How Imax makes money from movie theaters it doesn’t own
Imax is experiencing record-breaking financial success by leveraging its premium large-format brand, despite owning very few of the theaters that screen its films. The company's business model relies on partnerships and the growing consumer demand for immersive, high-quality cinematic experiences.
Why it matters
It illustrates a successful licensing and branding business model in the entertainment industry that thrives on 'event' cinema.
Moviegoers flocked to theaters this summer to see Christopher Nolan's film adaptation of " The Odyssey ." And for many fans, it wasn't enough just to see the movie; they had to see it in Imax.
The movie is the first that was shot entirely on Imax film, known for its high-quality picture that, when shown on an Imax screen, is designed to immerse audiences in a superior viewing experience. Superfans traveled across continents to see Nolan's latest work as the director intended — on an Imax 70mm screen, the format's highest-quality medium. There are only 25 Imax 70mm theaters in the U.S., and just 41 globally, according to the company. Imax itself owns and operates just one theater, Esquire Imax in Sacramento, California.
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