IMAX has confirmed it has plans to open up to 40 screens in Australian within five years – starting with the capitals of each state.
The planned expansion comes after the re-opening of IMAX Sydney, which occurred last October in Darling Harbour, performed beyond the company’s expectations, IF reports.
IMAX Sydney was the best performing IMAX screen in the world, according to data collected after January 2024. In just under a year, the Sydney screen is the company’s third highest earner of its 1800 screens worldwide.
Read: Sydney’s IMAX cinema has re-opened after 7 years: here’s what to expect
For comparison, IMAX Melbourne is the seventh best performing IMAX theatre in the world so far in 2024. Together, the two screens have accumulated profits of $2.4 million in the year to date.
The next IMAX screen to open in Australia will be located at an as-yet undisclosed Event Cinemas location in Sydney.
Giovanni Dolci, global chief sales officer at IMAX, told IF that the reasoning behind the aim of 40 screens total is because of the general appetite in Australia. for more IMAX screenings, and a desire to see more variety in those screenings.
Many films being shot today are shot on film especially made for IMAX screenings: Oppenheimer, Avatar, Star Wars, Dunkirk, and Nope to name a few. Next year’s Mickey 17, directed by Bong Joon Ho, will premiere in IMAX.
Stay tuned for more updates on where and when the new IMAX screens will open.
