Imax’s September quarter was not just a beat. It showed how one release can reframe the premium-format business. Revenue hit $175 million, up 64% year over year and ahead of Wall Street forecasts, while global Imax box office rose 90% to $712 million.
Driving the result, Christopher Nolan’s The Odyssey became the highest-grossing Imax title ever. The Universal release has generated $550 million in Imax box office to date—more than double the previous record and roughly 30% of the film’s entire box office.
The margin story is the mix
Adjusted EPS of $2.21 rose 370% year over year, and shares climbed about 4% in early trading. The stock is up roughly 40% year to date and 60% over the last 12 months.
For ScreenStat readers, the strategic takeaway is the mix, not just the absolute number. One blockbuster converted nearly a third of its global gross through higher-priced Imax seats. That makes the premium screen a revenue-planning layer for studios, a margin engine for exhibitors and a scarcity signal for audiences.
The pipeline keeps the pressure on
Imax now expects to significantly exceed its previous 2026 full-year guidance of a record $1.4 billion in global box office. The visible slate supports that view:
- Later in 2026: Dune: Part Three and the Chinese release of Avengers: Doomsday.
- 2027 filmed-for-Imax titles: Star Wars: Starfighter, the Superman sequel Man of Tomorrow and Avengers: Secret Wars.
- First-time event: the original Star Wars, presented in Imax 70mm film.
Imax also signed agreements for more than 100 systems worldwide so far in 2026, with 65% earmarked for new locations—a sign that exhibitors are betting more deeply on premium inventory.
“What IMAX achieved goes beyond simply a ‘great quarter’ and transcends the many records we shattered in the period,” CEO Rich Gelfond said.
Gelfond framed the result as an “awakening to the power and potential of our platform” at a moment when scarce shared experiences are commanding a premium.
What to watch next
The next test is whether Imax converts a loaded slate into sustained high-margin share, and whether rivals accelerate their own premium-format expansions. For now, one film has turned a single venue format into a company-wide record.
Source: Deadline
