IMAX shares climbed more than 44% in 2025, outpacing peers in the theatrical exhibition sector. This rally preceded the company’s year-end box office report and reflects investor confidence in IMAX’s premium large-format strategy. By comparison, competitors saw steep declines: AMC shares fell over 60%, Cinemark dropped 25%, and Marcus Corporation declined 28%.

For the full year 2025, IMAX generated a record $1.28 billion in global box office revenues, marking a 40% increase over 2024 and surpassing its previous high of $1.13 billion set in 2019. Domestic revenues accounted for approximately 55% of the total, while international markets contributed the remaining 45%. The record performance underscores the growing demand for immersive viewing experiences despite overall industry headwinds.

Premium large-format (PLF) tickets represented more than 16% of all domestic admissions in 2025, up from 15% the prior year and 13.8% in 2023, according to EntTelligence data. Average PLF ticket prices reached $17.65, compared to $13.29 for standard screenings. As Hollywood increasingly focuses on blockbuster releases, IMAX’s superior sound, projection and seating technologies have driven higher per-screen revenue and market share gains within the PLF segment.

IMAX forecasts a new global box office record of $1.4 billion for 2026, supported by tentpole titles such as Disney’s “Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu,” Universal’s “The Odyssey,” Netflix’s “Narnia” and Warner Bros.’ “Dune: Part Three,” all shot with IMAX cameras. At the end of September, the company operated over 1,700 IMAX locations worldwide and held 478 contracts to build additional screens, representing under 1% of total global cinema inventory and highlighting significant runway for expansion.