IMAX

“Never Compromise”

―Tagline

IMAX is a motion picture film format and a set of cinema projection standards created by the Canadian company IMAX Corporation. IMAX has the capacity to record and display images of far greater size and resolution than conventional film systems. Since 2002, some feature films have been converted (or upgraded) into IMAX format for display in IMAX theatres and some have also been partially shot in IMAX.

Involment with Disney

Walt Disney Pictures became the first studio to release theatrical films in the IMAX process. Released on New Year's Day in 2000, Fantasia 2000 was the studio's first IMAX release and the first theatrical feature to be presented in IMAX theaters. It was originally planned as a standard theatrical release, but in agreeing with the company to release the film, the IMAX sound system incorporated a multi-channel and multi-layer stereo system for the orchestrated soundtrack, similar to the Fantasound system Walt Disney used for the original film decades ago. The company agreed to Disney's terms and conditions to gain the exclusive first showings of the film. These included a limited engagement of 4 months (from January 1 to April 30) and 50% of the box office receipts. Not all IMAX cinemas were prepared to accept Disney's terms to present the film; however, following the IMAX release, a standard 35mm run followed in June at regular theatres. Although Fantasia 2000 had a luke-warm financial run, the critical praise for its use of the IMAX format convinced Disney to put more releases in the giant-screen format in the pipeline. In 2002, IMAX re-issues of Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King were released in selected theaters over the winter and Christmas seasons of that year. New digital masters were created from the original CAPS production files and select scenes of animation were cleaned up to make use of the high resolution IMAX film negatives. Treasure Planet was also released in select IMAX theaters and was the first theatrical film to be released in regular and IMAX theaters simultaneously. But all of these releases had underwhelming box office returns and Disney canceled later big-screen re-releases, including Aladdin.

Disney films shown in IMAX

2000s

• Fantasia 2000 (2000)
• Beauty and the Beast (2002)
• The Lion King (2002)
• Treasure Planet (2002)
• Ghosts of the Abyss (2003)
• The Young Black Stallion (2003)
• Sacred Planet (2004)
• Aliens of the Deep (2005)
• Roving Mars (2006)
• Jonas Brothers: The 3D Concert Experience (2009)
• A Christmas Carol (2009)

2010s

• Alice in Wonderland (2010)
• Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (2010) (In select countries.)
• Toy Story 3 (2010)
• Tangled (2010) (In select territories.)
• Tron: Legacy (2010)
• Mars Needs Moms (2011)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011)
• Cars 2 (2011)
• John Carter (2012)
• The Avengers (2012)
• Frankenweenie (2012)
• Oz the Great and Powerful (2013)
• Iron Man 3 (2013)
• The Lone Ranger (2013) (In select countries.)
• Thor: The Dark World (2013)
• Captain America: The Winter Soldier (2014)
• Maleficent (2014)
• Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) (Specially formatted for select sequences.)
• Big Hero 6 (2014) (In select territories.)
• Cinderella (2015)
• Avengers: Age of Ultron (2015)
• Tomorrowland (2015) (Specially formatted for the entire film.)
• Inside Out (2015) (In select territories.)
• Ant-Man (2015)
• Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015) (Filmed with IMAX cameras for the Millennium Falcon Jakku sequence.)
• The Finest Hours (2016) (In select IMAX theatres.)
• Zootopia (2016)
• The Jungle Book (2016)
• Captain America: Civil War (2016) (Filmed with IMAX cameras for the airport battle sequence.)
• Alice Through the Looking Glass (2016)
• Finding Dory (2016) (In select IMAX theatres.)
• The BFG (2016) (In select IMAX theatres.)
• Doctor Strange (2016) (Specially formatted for select sequences.)
• Rogue One: A Star Wars Story (2016)
• Beauty and the Beast (2017) (Specially formatted for the entire film.)
• Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 (2017) (Specially formatted for select sequences.)
• Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales (2017) (Specially formatted for the entire film.)
• Cars 3 (In select IMAX theatres.)
• Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
• Thor: Ragnarok (2017) (Specially formatted for select sequences.)
• Coco (2017) (In select IMAX theatres.)
• Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017) (Was filmed with IMAX cameras for select sequences, projected in 2.35:1)
• Black Panther (2018) (Specially formatted for select sequences.)
• A Wrinkle in Time (2018)
• Avengers: Infinity War (2018) (Filmed with IMAX cameras for the entire film.)
• Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018)
• Incredibles 2 (2018)
• Ant-Man and the Wasp (2018) (Specially formatted for select sequences.)
• Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018) (In select IMAX theatres.)
• Captain Marvel (2019) (Specially formatted for select sequences.)
• Dumbo (2019)
• Penguins (2019)
• Avengers: Endgame (2019) (Filmed with IMAX cameras for the entire film.)
• Aladdin (2019)
• Toy Story 4 (2019)
• Spider-Man: Far From Home (2019) (Specially formatted for select sequences.)
• The Lion King (2019) (Formatted in 1.43:1 ratio for select IMAX Laser screenings.)
• Maleficent: Mistress of Evil (2019) (Specially formatted for the entire film.)
• Frozen II (2019)
• Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker (2019)
• Onward (2020)
• Artemis Fowl (2020) (originally theatrical but cancelled)
• Mulan (2020) (originally theatrical but cancelled)
• Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
• Black Widow (2021)
• Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (2021)
• Eternals (2021)
• Spider-Man 3 (2021)

Disney IMAX Theatrical Posters

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ATTLG Inverted Poster.jpg

Gallery

IMAX on Wikipedia